r.z6.ov2. 


Srom  f  5e  feifimri?  of 

(J^equeat^eb  fig  ^ttn  fo 
t^e  &i6mrg  of 

(prtnceton  C^eofogicaf  ^eminarg 


ff^v^^ojzic^  Mr 


fta^   tn 


I 


NOTES 


THE   APOCALYPSE; 


%TX    ^ijpfitdh, 


CONTAINING  DISSERTATIONS  ON   SOME  OF  THE 
APOCALYPTIC   SYMBOLS, 

TOGETHER   WITH 

ANIMADVERSIONS  ON  THE  INTERPRETATIONS  OF  SEVE- 
RAL AMONG  THE  MOST  LEARNED  AND  APPROVED 
EXPOSITORS  OF  BRITAIN  AND  AMERICA. 


BY  DAVID  STEELE,  Sr, 

Pastor  of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Congregation,  Pliiladelphia. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

YOUNG  &  FERGUSON,  No.  14  SOUTH  SEVENTH  ST. 

1870. 


(Copyright  entered,  according  fo  law.) 


TO  THE 

REV.  JOHN  CUNNINGHAM,  LL.D., 

^Mssionary  from  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  to  the  Jews  in 
London,  England. 

Rev.  a:n^d  yery  dear  Friend  and  Brother:— 

Although  we  are  "  separated  upon  the  wall,  one 
far  from  the  other,"  we  are  not  altogether  precluded 
from  mutual  salutation.  Placed  by  our  Master  on 
two  hemispheres,  between  which  the  electric  current 
bears  frequent  tidings,  our  respectiv^e  positions  are 
advantageous  for  noting  the  events  of  providence. 
These  constitute  the  signs  of  the  times,  and  are  the 
counterpart  of  prophecy.  Prophecy  and  providence 
reflect  light  upon  each  other,  and  both  are  helpful 
to  the  interpretation  of  each;  but  He  alone  who  is 
the  "Wonderful  Counsellor,"  can  cause  us  to  under- 
stand either. 

In  submitting  the  following  work  to  the  public,  I 
venture  to  do  so  under  your  auspices,  if  not  under 
the  sanction  of  your  name.  And  I  embrace  the  pre- 
sent occasion.  Rev.  Sir,  to  bear  willing  testimony  to 
your  acknowledged  scholarship, — your  profound  eru- 
dition, especially  in  Natural  Science  and  Philology. 
I  do  also  cheerfully  and  joyfully  recognise  you  as  a 
public  witness;  and  at  the  present  time  of  general 
defection,  as  an  official  and  consistent  witness  in  the 
British  Isles  for  the  integrity  of  our   Covenanted 


4  DEDICATION. 

Reformation, — that  reformation  which  in  its  fuller 
development  is  destined  to  secure  the  rights  of  God 
and  man  in  reorganized  society.  Such,  I  believe 
to  be  one  of  the  cheering  lessons  which  may  be 
learned  by  Christ's  witnesses  from  searching  the 
Apocalypse. 

That  you,  Dear  Sir,  may  be  long  preserved,  sus- 
tained and  comforted  by  the  providence  and  grace 
of  the  Most  High,  amid  all  your  self-sacrifice,  pri- 
vation and  reproach  which  you  endure  for  the  truth's 
sake,  is  the  prayer  of 

Your  brother  in  covenant  bonds, 

DAVID  STEELE. 

Philadelphia,  February  1st,  1870. 


PREFACE. 


The  Apocalypse  is  one  of  the  most  sublime  and 
wonderful  dramatic  exhibitions  presented  for  human 
contemplation.  Internal  evidence  concurs  with  au- 
thentic history,  in  demonstrating  to  the  devout  and 
intelligent  reader,  its  divine  origin.  God,  angels  and 
men,  are  the  principal  actors.  Men's  natural  curiosity 
may  find  entertainment  in  this  book  ;  and  from  no 
higher  principle,  many  have  doubtless  been  prompted 
to  attempt  a  discovery  of  its  mysterious  contents. 
What  is  true,  however,  of  supernatural  revelation  in 
general,  is  equally  true  of  this  book: — ''The natural 
man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they  are  spirit- 
ually discerned." 

To  the  right  understanding  of  the  Apocalypse,  so 
far  as  the  prophetical  parts  of  it  are  contemplated, 
the  following  prerequisites  would  seem  to  be  indis- 
pensable:— 

1.  A  competent  knowledge  of  what  may  be  termed 
the  fundamental  doctrines  of  the  gospel:  such  as  the 
unity  of  the  Divine  Nature ;  the  distinction  of  persons 
in  the  Godhead;  the  atonement  and  intercession  of 
Christ;  the  total  depravity  and  renovation  of  human 
nature;  the  resurrection  and  final  retribution,  etc. 

2.  Acquaintance  with  symbolical  language,  as  the 
only  language  common  to  all  men  since  the  confu- 
sion of  tongues. 

3.  Familiarity  with  the  typical  dispensation,  from 
which  most  of  the  symbols  are  taken. 


b  PREFACE. 

4.  Freedom  from  all  political  bias. 

No  expositor  of  the  Apocalypse  appears  to  have 
possessed  all  these  qualifications,  however  few  and 
simple.  The  most  learned  and  judicious  interpreters 
of  this  book  have  been  divines  of  Britain  and  of  the 
United  States. 

After  so  many  laborers  employed  in  this  harvest, 
the  reader  may  ask, — What  remains  to  be  gleaned? 
To  this  inquiry,  it  may  be  sufficient  to  remind  the 
devout  Christian,  that  as  the  Apocalypse  is  the  end 
of  the  Bible,  so  ''the  harvest  is  the  end  of  the 
world;"  and  during  the  intermediate  time  "the  Lord 
of  the  harvest  is  sending  forth  laborers."  Prophecy 
has  engaged  the  attention  and  occupied  the  thoughts 
of  the  writer,  more  or  less,  for  the  last  thirty  years. 
He  has  consulted  the  views  of  most  of  the  distin- 
guished and  approved  interpreters  of  the  book  of 
Revelation;  among  whom  the  following  are  named, 
viz.:  Mede,  Sir  Isaac  and  Bishop  Newton,  Durham^ 
Fleming^  GiU,  Whitaker,  Kelt,  Galloway^  Faher^ 
Scott,  Mason,  McLeod;  and  many  others:  from  all 
whose  labors,  he  has  derived  much  instruction;  and 
from  all  of  whom  he  has  been  obliged  in  important 
points  to  dissent. 

The  immediate  occasion  of  this  undertaking, 
was  the  urgent  request  of  the  people  of  his  charge, 
that  the  substance  of  a  course  of  lectures  delivered 
in  ordinary  Sabbath  ministrations,  might  be  put 
into  a  more  permanent  form,  for  their  future  edifi- 
cation. 

In  the  early  centuries  of  the  Christian  era,  so 
wild,  enthusiastic  and  corrupt  were  the  sentiments 
of  some  Millenarians,  that  this  book  ceased  in 
great  measure  to  be  read  or  studied;  and  even  its 
divine  authority  came  to  be  questioned  by  many 
learned  and  pious  men.     As  the  "Dark  Ages"  of 


PREFACE.  7 

Popery  resulted  from  neglect  of  the  sacred  Scrip- 
tures in  general,  so  even  among  the  first  reformers 
the  Apocalypse  was  viewed  with  suspicion  as  to  its 
claim  to  inspiration.  It  is  probable  that  many  of 
the  unlearned  will  hear  with  wonder,  and  doubt  the 
assertion,  that  even  the  great  reformer  Luther  re- 
jected the  Apocalypse,  as  being  no  part  of  the  sacred 
canon !  The  same  judgment  he  formed  of  the  epistle 
by  James!  With  characteristic  boldness,  he  wrote 
as  follows: — "The  epistle  of  James  hath  nothing 
evangelical  in  it.  I  do  not  consider  it  the  writing 
of  an  apostle  at  all,  .  .  It  ascribes  justification 
to  works,  in  direct  contradiction  to  Paul  and  all  the 
other  sacred  writers.  .  .  .  With  respect  to  the 
Revelation  of  John,  I  state  what  I  feel.  For  more 
than  one  reason,  I  cannot  deem  this  book  either 
apostolic  or  prophetical,  .  .  and  it  is  sufficient 
reason  for  me  not  to  esteem  it  highly,  that  Christ  is 
neither  taught  nor  known  in  it."*  Such  was  the 
estimation  in  which  that  distinguished  reformer  held 
two  inspired  books  of  the  New  Testament  at  the 
dawn  of  the  Reformation.  How  great  the  increase 
of  scriptural  light  since  his  day ! 

The  grand  design  of  this  book,  as  declared  by  its 
divine  Author,  is,  "  to  show  unto  his  servants  things 
which  must  shortly  come  to  pass,"  .  .  "  to  testify 
these  things  in  the  churches:" — to  make  known  be- 
forehand to  those  styled  his  "witnesses,"  the  cer- 
tainty of  a  great  apostacy, — the  rise,  reign  and  over- 
throw of  the  Antichrist,  that  "when  it  came  to  pass, 
they  might  believe,"  and  exemplify  before  the  world 
"  the  patience  and  the  faith  of  the  saints."  During 
that  protracted  period,  the  witnesses  could  neither 


*  Life  of  Martin  Luther.    Pp.173, 174.    Londou.    1855,    Luther  af- 
terwards became  conyinced  of  his  error. 


8  PREFACE. 

know  their  duty  nor  sustain  their  allotted  trials 
without  these  necessary  instructions. 

From  the  position  of  the  witnessing  church — "  in 
the  wilderness"  during  the  whole  time  of  Antichrist's 
reign,  which  is  also  the  position  of  the  apostle  John 
when  viewing  in  vision  the  "woman  upon  the  beast;" 
(ch.  xvii.  3,)  that  appears  to  be  the  only  advantage- 
ous position  from  which  to  view  the  actors  in  this 
wonderful  scene.  And  since  few  have  voluntarily 
"  gone  forth  to  Christ  without  the  camp,  bearing  his 
reproach,"  or  submitted  to  wear  the  mourning  gar- 
ments of  "sackcloth,"  it  is  not  at  all  surprising  that 
the  Apocalypse — emphatically  a  Revelation — should 
continue  to  be,  to  many,  a  "sealed  book."  But  on 
the  other  hand,  "  blessed  is  he  that  readeth,  and 
they  that  hear  the  words  of  this  prophecy,  and  keep 
those  things  which  are  written  therein." 

As  this  work  is  intended  for  the  instruction  and 
edification  of  the  unlearned,  rather  than  for  the  en- 
tertainment of  the  learned,  words  of  foreign  extract 
are  used  as  seldom  as  possible.  Practical  remarks 
and  reflections  are  rarely  introduced;  the  principal 
aim  being  simply  to  ascertain  and  present  to  the 
reader  the  mind  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  How  far  this 
object  has  been  accomplished,  is  of  course  left  to  the 
judgment  of  the  honest  inquirer.  The  reader,  how- 
ever, in  forming  his  judgment  of  the  value  of  these 
Notes,  may  be  reminded  of  that  inspired  rule  in 
searching  the  Scriptures, — "Comparing  spiritual 
things  with  spiritual."  To  assist  him  in  the  appli- 
cation of  this  divine  rule,  many  chapters  and  verses 
are  quoted  from  other  parts  of  the  Bible,  but  espe- 
cially within  the  Apocalypse  itself;  that  by  concen- 
trating the  various  rays  upon  particular  texts  or 
symbols,  their  intrinsic  light  may  be  rendered  more 
luminous.  Thus  the  interpretation  given,  if  correct, 
may  be  confirmed  and  illustrated. 


NOTES  ON  THE  APOCALYPSE. 


The  heavens  and  the  earth  did  not  make  them- 
selves. The  material  universe  furnishes  to  the  in- 
telligent creature  a  visible  demonstration  of  the 
"eternal  power  and  godhead  of  its  Author."  Be- 
sides, a  sense  of  Deity  is  essential  to  humanity;  and 
a  supernatural  revelation  is  not  necessary  to  convince 
rational  beings  that  there  is  a  God.  Man  is  a  de- 
pendent being  in  common  with  all  other  creatures, 
and  all  creatures  depend  upon  a  first  cause.  That 
cause  is  God.  Dependent  as  a  creature,  man  may 
know  something  of  the  natural  perfections  of  his 
Maker;  and  possessing  a  conscience,  which  implies 
accountability  to  a  superior,  he  may  know, — he  must 
know,  something  of  the  moral  attributes  of  God. 

In  view  of  these  positions,  we  may  account  for  the 
fact,  too  often  overlooked  by  the  reader  of  the  Bible, 
that  the  Holy  Spirit  directed  the  first  of  all  historians 
to  begin  his  narrative  so  abruptly.  Assuming  that 
the  reader  is  already  assured  of  God's  being,  Moses 
proceeds  at  once  to  account  for  the  origination  of  the 
material  universe.  In  simple  narrative  he  writes, — 
*'In  the  beginning  God  created  the  heaven  and  the 
earth.''  Thus  God's  being,  and  the  eternity  of  his 
2  13 


14  NOTES    ON 

being  are  assumed  as  known  by  the  first  inspired 
penman;  a  fact  or  principle  not  to  be  disputed. 
True,  the  being  of  God  has  been  questioned,  but  only 
by  "fools'' — "brutish  people;"  who,  by  their  athe- 
istical suggestions  have  proclaimed  to  their  fellows 
their  "brutish  folly."  (Ps.  xiv.  6,  xciv.  8,  9.) 

As  the  Bible  takes  for  granted  that  mankind  have 
had  a  previous  revelation  in  their  own  physical  and 
moral  constitution, — in  the  visible  heavens  and  earth; 
the  same  is  true  of  the  last  book  of  the  Bible,  the 
Apocalypse.  It  assumes  that  the  reader  has  some 
competent  knowledge  of  the  preceding  books  of  the 
sacred  Scriptures.  The  reader  is  supposed  to  be  ac- 
quainted with  the  patriarchal  and  Mosaic  dispensa- 
tions of  the  Covenant  of  Grace.  Moreover,  the  mo- 
ral law,  as  inculcated  in  the  Old  Testament;  the 
Levitical  priesthood  and  ministry,  as  being  "shadows 
of  good  things  to  come;"  the  "doctrine  according 
to  godliness,''  taught  in  the  gospels  and  epistles  of 
the  New  Testament, — are  all  taken  for  granted  and 
supposed  to  be  received  with  a  divine  faith  by  all 
who  would  profit  by  this  last  book  of  the  sacred  ca- 
non. 

It  is  further  assumed  in  the  Apocalypse,  that  the 
humble  inquirer  into  the  mind  of  the  Holy  Spirit  has 
a  knowledge  of  ancient  history,  of  the  character  and 
destiny  of  Egypt,  Babylon,  etc.  And  finally,  it  is 
requisite  that  the  successful  inquirer  into  the  mind 
of  God  be  acquainted  with  the  language  of  symbols; 
and,  above  all,  that  he  be  resolved,  with  the  inspired 
writer  John,  to  take  a  position  with  the  mystic  wo- 
man in  the  wilderness. 

With  these  few  preliminaries,  we  proceed : — 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  15 


CHAPTEE  I. 

1.  The  Reve]ation  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  God  gave  unto 
him,  to  show  imto  his  servants  things  which  must  shortly- 
come  to  pass;  and  he  sent  and  signified  it  by  his  angel  unto 
his  servant  John: 

2.  Who  bare  record  of  the  word  of  God,  and  of  the  testi- 
mony of  Jesus  Christ,  and  of  all  things  that  he  saw. 

3.  ^Blessed  is  he  that  readeth,  and  they  that  hear  the  words 
of  this  prophecy,  and  keep  those  things  which  are  written 
therein;  for  the  time  is  at  hand. 

Verses  1-3. — Here,  our  divine  Mediator  appears 
in  the  continued  exercise  of  his  prophetical  otlice 
**in  his  estate  of  exaltation."  While  present  with 
his  disciples  on  earth,  he  told  them  he  had  many 
things  to  say  to  them,  but  they  could  not  hear  them 
then.  (John  xvi.  12.)  Upon  his  ascension  he  ful- 
filled his  own  and  his  Father's  promise  in  sending 
the  Holy  Spirit  to  guide  them  into  all  truth — bring 
all  things  to  their  remembrance,  and  show  them 
things  to  come.  (v.  13.)  The  fulfilment  of  this  pro- 
mise we  have  in  the  whole  of  the  New  Testament, — 
doctrines,  facts  and  predictions. 

Jesus  said, — "  Of  mine  own-self  I  can  do  nothing." 
(v.  30.)  The  same  is  true  of  his  teachings  as  of  his 
works: — "The  words  that  I  speak  unto  you,  1  speak 
not  of  myself,  (xiv.  10.)  In  all  that  "Jesus  began 
both  to  do  and  to  teach,"  (Acts  i.  1,)  he  was  in- 
structed by  his  Father.  These  things  are  all  plainly 
implied  in  the  first  verse.  Indeed,  the  official  act- 
ings 01  the  three  Persons  in  the  Godhead  had  been 
frequently  taught  by  Christ  during  the  time  of  his 
personal  ministry;  and  they  are  more  fully  and  fre- 
quently recorded  by  the  beloved  disciple  than  by  any 
other  evangelist,  in  that  gospel  which  still  bears  this 


16  NOTES    ON 

apostle's  name.  Thus,  it  appears  that  although  this 
book  is  called  a  "  Revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,"  he  is 
not  the  ultimate  author.  It  is  a  revelation  "which 
God  gave  unto  him.''  Bj  God  here,  we  are  to  un- 
derstand the  person  of  the  Father.  The  reader  is 
thus  conducted  to  the  divine  origin  of  all  supernatu- 
ral revelation, — the  eternal  purpose  of  God.  (Heb.  i. 
1,  2.)  The  object  of  the  whole  Bible,  in  the  evolve- 
ment  of  the  divine  economy  of  man's  redemption, 
appears  to  be  the  unfolding  of  the  ineffable  mystery 
of  the  Trinity,  and  displaying  the  perfections  of  the 
Godhead,  to  his  own  glory  as  the  highest  and  last 
end. 

The  channel  through  which  the  divine  w^ill  comes  to 
the  church,  is  exhibited  in  the  beginning  of  this  book. 
Originating  with  God  the  Father,  passing  to  the 
Mediator,  communicated  to  a  holy  angel;  by  his 
ministry  it  is  made  known  to  John,  who  reveals  it  to 
the  church!  How  beautiful  the  order  here!  How 
wonderful  and  condescending  on  the  part  of  God! 

Although  we  commonly  and  justly  designate  the 
whole  Bible  by  the  name  "Revelation;''  yet  we  are 
to  consider  that  this  book  is  so  called  by  way  of  emi- 
nence. Doubtless  it  is  so  styled  by  its  divine  Author 
because  it  reveals  events  which  were  tlien  future,  and 
which  could  not  be  discovered  by  human  sagacity. 
But  this  holds  equally  true  of  other  parts  of  the 
Scriptures,  especially  those  parts  which  are  prophe- 
tical. It  may  be  that  this  book  is  called  "Apoca- 
lypse" because  of  the  opposition  which  it  was  to  en- 
counter from  Antichrist,  as  also  because  of  iti^singu- 
lar  and  intended  use  to  a  peculiar  portion  of  profess- 
ing Christians.  As  on  the  one  hand  the  Romish 
church,  and  too  many  who  protest  against  her  en- 
croachments, prohibit  or  discourage  tlie  disciples  of 
Christ  from  reading  this  book ;  so,  on  the  other  hand. 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  17 

it  has  been  of  singular  use  to  others  in  strengthening 
their  faith  and  ministering  to  their  comfort. 

John  "bare  record  of  the  word  of  God  and  of  the 
testimony  of  Jesus  Christ  and  of  all  things  that  he 
saw."  A  question  arises  here, — What  is  the  differ- 
ence, if  any,  between  the  "word  of  God''  and  the 
"testimony  of  Jesus  Christ?"  Or  is  there  any  dis- 
tinction intended  by  the  Holy  Spirit?  Most  readers 
as  well  as  expositors  vicAv  these  expressions  as  iden- 
tical. We  shall  meet  with  them,  or  their  equivalent, 
frequently  hereafter;  and  it  may  be  proper  at  the 
outset  to  inquire  a  little  into  this  familiar  phrase- 
ology. (See  chapters  i.  9;  vi.  9;  xii.  11,  17;  xx.  4, 
etc.) 

Recognising  the  inspired  rule  of  interpretation, — 
"comparing  spiritual  things  with  spiritual,"  we  refer 
to  Psalm  Ixxviii.  5,  where  "testimony  and  law"  are 
obviously  distinguished.  The  same  distinction  will 
be  found  in  Isa.  viii.  16,  20.  The  prophet  refers 
the  reader  to  two  tests  of  doctrine  and  practice:  first 
the  "law.''  But  as  the  spouse  of  Christ  is  unable, 
in  her  perplexity,  to  apply  the  law  to  the  present 
case  in  a  manner  satisfactory  to  herself,  she  is  direct- 
ed by  her  Lord,  (Song  i.  8,)  to  "go  forth  by  the 
footsteps  of  the  flock."  That  is,  search  and  ascer- 
tain how  the  disciples  applied  the  law  in  similar  cir- 
cumstances, and  imitate  their  approved  example. 
This  is  a  rule  recognised  and  often  inculcated  in  the 
New  Testament.   (Heb.  vi.  12  ) 

The  inspired  penman  in  Psalm  Ixxviii.  5,  refers  to 
the  covenant  transaction  at  Mount  Sinai,  where  the 
"law''  was  exhibited  as  an  appendix  to  the  covenant 
of  grace — "added  to  the  promise."  (Gal.  iii.  19.) 
The  reader  will  find  this  whole  matter  set  before  him, 
perhaps  to  his  surprise  and  delight  in  Exod.  xx.  1- 
17.     The  Lord  (Jehovah)  is  the  God  (Elohim)  of  his 


18  NOTES   ON 

people.  How  sliall  they  know  that  he  is  their  God? 
Bv  the  law? — No,  for  that  is  a  rule  to  all  men.  They 
know  by  the  testimony  as  distinct  from  the  law.  Tes- 
timony consists  of  facts.  God's  people  knew  that 
he  was  their  God,  because  he  ''brought  them  out  of 
the  land  of  Egypt,  out  of  the  house  of  bondage." 
This  was  "the  doing  of  the  Lord,'' — "the  testimony 
of  Jesus  Christ."  And  so  it  is  an  important  and  pre- 
cious truth  to  us  at  the  present  day. — "  The  preface 
to  the  Ten  Commandments  teacheth  us,  that  God  is 
the  Lord  (Jehovah)  and  our  CrodP'' — This  great  his- 
torical fact  is  the  controlling  motive  to  acceptable 
obedience  to  the  moral  law.  To  this,  among  other 
truths  of  the  gospel,  every  faithful  minister  will  "bear 
witness''  with  the  apostle  John. 

John  also  bore  witness  to  "all  things  that  he  saw,'' 
as  presented  to  him  in  a  succession  of  visions  to  the  end 
of  this  book,  in  view  of  some  of  which,  he  "won- 
dered with  great  admiration."  (xvii.  6.) 

In  the  third  verse  there  is  a  "blessing''  pronounced 
on  all  such  as  "hear,  read  and  keep  those  things 
which  are  written  in  the  words  of  this  prophecy." 
A  mere  reading  and  hearing  of  the  Apocal^^pse  will 
not  secure  the  blessing.  It  is  suspended  on  the 
heejpiiig.  "Blessed  is  he  that  heepeth  the  sayings 
of  the  prophecy  of  this  book."  (Ch.  xxii.  7.)  The 
divine  and  compassionate  Author  of  this  prophecy, 
who  "knoweth  the  end  from  the  beginning,''  fore- 
saw the  violent  and  ignorant  opposition  even  to  the 
reading  of  it,  v/hich  would  be  encountered  by  those 
for  whose  special  direction  and  comfort  it  was  given. 
While  the  "man  of  sin''  would  attempt  to  deprive 
the  church  of  the  light  of  the  Bible  in  general,  the 
great  "Antichrist''  would  join  him  in  special  hosti- 
lity to  this  book.  The  judgment  of  the  former  is, 
that  the  Bible  in  the  hands  of  the  people  will  gene- 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  19 

rate  heresies;  of  the  latter, — the  Apocalypse  is  so 
^'hard  to  be  understood"  as  to  be  unintelligible.  A 
revelation,  and  yet  unintelligible!  This  is  very 
nearly  a  contradiction.  Such  sentiments  betray  re- 
bellion against  the  authority,  and  a  reflection  upon 
the  wisdom  and  beneficence  of  God.  All  Christians 
acknowledge,  as  Peter  says  of  the  writings  of  Paul, 
that  in  this  book  are  "some  things  dark  and  hard  to 
be  understood:"  but  there  have  been  always  and  now 
are,  some  disciples  who  do  not  subscribe  to  the  teach- 
ing of  most  expositors  of  this  book, — that  their  actual 
fulfilment,  alone,  will  interpret  these  predictions. — 
Doubtless  it  was  in  view  of  such  discouragements 
that  our  Lord  prefixed  and  repeated  the  special  bless- 
ing. And  this  promised  blessing  of  the  Master 
himself  is  sufficient  to  countervail  all  the  discourage- 
ments and  hostility  of  the  adversaries,  thrown  in  the 
way  of  the  reader  and  expositor.  Moses  *' endured 
as  having  respect  unto  the  recompense  of  the  reward." 
Let  us  copy  his  example.  "He  is  faithful  that  pro- 
mised." Let  the  pious  reader,  therefore,  disregard 
the  counsel  to  "  omit  the  reading  of  this  book  in  fa- 
mily worship,"  as  we  have  sometimes  heard ;  whether 
it  be  tendered  by  Papist,  Prelate  or  Presbyterian, 
because  it  is  directly  contrary  to  the  express  com- 
mand of  Christ,  (John  v.  39,)  and  because  by  follow- 
ing such  counsel,  he  would  forfeit  the  special  blessing 
here  promised. 

4.  John, to  tlie  seven  churches  wliicli  are  in  Asia:  Grace 
be  unto  you,  and  peace,  from  him  which  is,  and  which  was, 
and  which  is  to  come;  and  from  the  seven  Spirits  wliich  are 
before  his  throne; 

5.  And  from  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  the  faithful  Witness,  and 
the  First-begotten  of  the  dead,  and  the  Prince  of  the  kings 
of  the  earth.  Unto  him  that  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from 
our  sins  in  his  own  blood, 

6.  And  hath  made  us  kings  and  priests  unto  God  and  his 
Father;  to  whom  be  glory  and  dominion  for  ever  and  ever. 
Amen. 


20  NOTES    ON 

Vs.  4-6. — Here  we  have  the  customary  saluta- 
tion, addressed  to  the  churches  of  Asia  Minor. 
Many  other  churches  had  been  organized  in  other 
parts  of  the  earth  at  this  date;  (a. D.  96:)  but  the 
special  reason  why  John  saluted  these  seven,  and 
addressed  an  epistle  to  each,  would  seem  to  be  his 
vicinity  to  them  in  the  place  of  his  present  sojourning, 
and  probably  his  personal  acquaintance  with  them  in 
the  exercise  of  his  ministry  among  them,  (v.  11.) 
His  prayer  for  these  churches  is  substantially  the 
same  as  that  prefixed  to  most  of  Paul's  epistles. 
Grace  and  peace  are  inseparable  in  the  divine  ar- 
rangement. "There  is  no  peace,  saith  my  God,  to 
the  wicked.  (Isa.  Ivii.  21.) 

The  solitary  pilgrim  in  his  place  of  banishment, 
contemplating  the  Abrahamic  covenant,  and  realizing 
that  grace  and  that  peace  in  which  he  desires  his  fel- 
low disciples  to  share,  sets  before  us  the  threefold 
source  whence  these  divine  influences  flow.  First, 
"from  him  which  is,  and  which  was,  and  which  is  to 
come;''  a  description  of  God  the  Father,  Avhose  per- 
sonal subsistence  has  priority  in  the  Godhead,  and 
who  occupies  the  like  priority  in  voluntary  relation- 
ship and  economic  standing.  From  the  Father  per- 
sonally, as  the  representative  of  Trinity,  Ave  have 
seen  (in  verse  1,)  this  book  emanated;  and  now  from 
the  same  we  are  taught  that  "grace  and  peace" 
come  to  fallen  man.  Second,  John's  prayer  here, 
differs  from  Paul's  usual  form  in  the  beginning  of  his 
epistles;  for  Paul  omits  the  Holy  Spirit,  commonly 
saying, — "Grace  be  to  you,  and  peace  from  God 
the  Father,  and  from  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,''  (as  in 
Gal.  i.  3.)  In  this  last  book  of  Scripture  we  have 
the  co-equal  Three  introduced  as  co-operating  in  the 
work  of  man's  redemption.  Thus  our  attention  is 
directed  to  the  "seven  Spirits  which  are  before  the 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  'Zl 

throne;''  by  which  we  are  to  understand  the  Holy 
Ghost,  in  ]iis  essential  equality  with  God  the  Father, 
but  in  tlie  place  of  official  subordination.  The  Holy 
Spirit  is  one  personally,  but  seveji  in  his  manifold 
gifts  and  graces,  with  special  reference  to  the  ''seven 
churches.''  And  whereas  the  divine  Spirit,  in  the 
order  of  his  personal  subsistence  and  operation  is 
tJdrd,  here  he  occupies  the  second  place  in  the  order 
of  revelation.  Third,  The  special  reason  for  reserv- 
ing the  notice  of  our  Saviour  to  the  last  place,  is 
doubtless  that  the  "beloved  disciple''  may  take  occa- 
sion to  leave  on  record  an  expression  of  his  admira- 
tion of  the  Mediator's  person,  one  of  whose  names  is 
^'Wonderful,''  (Isa.  ix.  6;)  and  that  he  might  exem- 
plify the  ruling  principle  of  his  own  heart, — "We 
love  him,  because  he  first  loved  us."  (1  John  iv.  19.) 
The  apostle  dwells  upon  the  personal  glory  of  Im- 
manuel,  contemplating  him  in  his  threefold  office  of 
prophet,  priest  and  king. — He  is  "the  faithful  wit- 
ness'' in  his  prophetical  office.  "The  only  begotten 
Son,  which  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  he  hath 
declared  him.''  (John  i.  18;)  "who,  before  Pontius 
Pilate,  witnessed  a  good  confession."  (John  xviii.  37.) 
He  is  "the  first-begotten  of  the  dead.''  He  "died 
unto  sin  once,"  as  an  expiatory  sacrifice  to  atone  for 
the  'guilt  of  an  elect  world.  Being  a  "priest  for  ever 
after  the  order  of  Melchizedek,'''  "he  ever  liveth  to 
make  intercession," — "death  hath  no  more  dominion 
over  him,"  as  it  had  over  Lazarus  and  many  others 
who  "came  out  of  the  graves  after  his  resurrection.'' 
(Matt,  xxvii.  52,  53.)  Among  cdl,  he  has  the  pre- 
eminence. (Col.  i.  18.)  He  is  "  the  Prince  of  the  kings 
of  the  earth.''  There  is  not  in  the  sacred  volume  a 
title  of  our  Redeemer  more  full  or  expressive  than 
this,  on  his  headship  or  royal  office.  A  prince  is  of 
royal  parentage.     Such  is  the  understanding  of  man- 


22  NOTES   ON 

kind  in  all  civilized  nations.  Joseph  in  Egypt  typi- 
fied, in  part,  the  kingly  office  of  Christ;  and  Solomon 
on  the  throne  of  Israel  partially  typified  him  in  his 
dominion  :  but  as  Balaam  foretold  that  he  should  be 
*' higher  than  Agag,''  (Num.  xxiv.  7,)  so  we  may 
say  he  is  higher  than  Joseph, — "A  greater  than  So- 
lomon is  here."  "Pharaoh  said  unto  Joseph,  Thou 
shalt  be  over  my  house,  and  according  unto  thy  word 
shall  all  my  people  be  ruled :  only  in  the  throne  will  I 
be  greater  than  thou."  When  the  Father  says  to  the 
Son,  "Thy  throne,  0  God,  is  for  ever  and  ever,''  (Ps. 
xlv.  6,)  this  is  consistent  with  "  excepting  him  that  did 
put  all  things  under  him."  (1  Cor.  xv.  27.)  Although 
we  are  not  warranted  to  say  with  some,  *'The  Father 
is  the  fountain  of  the  Godhead,  we  may  warrantably 
and  boldly  say,  the  Father  is  the  fountain  of  aiitlio- 
rity.  (John  vi.  38.)  The  dominion  of  the  Mediator 
is  universal,  reaching  "from  the  roofless  heaven  to 
the  bottomless  hell.''  It  is  comfortable  to  the  disci- 
ples to  know  this  in  anticipation  of  the  rise  and  reign 
of  Antichrist.  He  is,  by  the  appointment  of  the  Fa- 
ther ''head  over  all  things,"  (Eph.  i.  22,) — "able  to 
save  to  the  uttermost  all  that  come  unto  God  by  him,'' 
to  "consume  with  the  spirit  of  his  mouth,  and  destroy 
with  the  brightness  of  his  coming,  that  Wicked,  the 
Man  of  Sin."  (2  Thess.  ii.  8.) 

In  view  of  the  personal  dignity  and  mediatorial 
dominion  of  Christ,  the  apostle  gives  expression  to 
his  admiration  and  wonder  at  the  amazing  love  and 
condescension  displayed  by  him  on  behalf  of  himself 
and  all  others,  on  whom  that  love  was  fixed  from 
everlasting,  and  whose  guilt  and  pollution  were  taken 
away  by  the  atoning  and  cleansing  blood  of  the  Lamb. 
To  these  saving  benefits  is  to  be  added  the  honour 
to  which  the  redeemed  are  advanced  as  "kings  and 
priests, — a  royal  priesthood."     The  living  Head  is 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  23 

"a  priest  upon  his  throne,"  (Zech.  vi.  13,)  and  all 
the  members  are  assimilated  to  him.  (1  "Pet.  ii.  5,  9.) 

7..  Behold,  lie  cometli  with  clouds;  and  every  eye  shall  see 
him,  and  they  also  which  pierced  him;  and  all  kindreds  of 
the  earth  shall  wail  because  of  him.     Even  so,  Amen. 

Verse  7. — How  animated  the  language,  sublime 
the  conception,  and  awe-inspiring  the  sentiment  here! 
Time  is  annihilated!  The  end  is  seen  from  the  be- 
ginning, and  all  eyes  are  directed  to  the  sovereign 
Judge  of  the  world,  as  he  comes  in  majesty  to  fix  the 
final  destiny  of  all  the  children  of  Adam!  These 
have  constituted  only  two  classes  since  the  world  be- 
gan. "Every  eye  shall  see  him,"  but  the  eye  will 
affect  the  heart  very  differently.  The  hearts  of  some, 
with  holy  Job,  will  be  filled  with  joy  unspeakable, 
(Job  xix.  26,  27;)  but  others,  with  mercenary  Ba- 
laam, will  be  inspired  with  terror  and  dismay.  (Num. 
xxiv.  17.)  Of  ''them  that  pierced  him,"  who  shall 
be  able  to  abide  his  indignation.?  Judas,  Caiaphas, 
Herod  and  his  men  of  war;  Pontius  Pilate,  and  all 
who  have  consented  to  the  counsel  and  deed  of  them, 
*'must  appear  before  his  judgment  seat."  "All  kin- 
dreds of  the  earth,"  covering  all  the  combinations 
of  "Antichrist"  during  the  definite  period  of  twelve 
hundred  and  sixty  years,  "shall  wail  because  of  him," 
(Rev.  xiv.  10,  11.)  Assured  of  the  equity  of  Mes- 
siiih's  judgment,  the  apostle,  in  the  exercise  of  "  like 
precious  faith  with  all  them  that  believe,"  subjoins 
his  hearty  assent, — "Even  so,  Amen:''  "So  let  all 
thine  enemies  perish,  0  Lord.''  Doubtless  the  de- 
sign of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  this  verse  is  to  furnish 
ground  of  encouragement  to  those  who  were  to  be 
engaged  in  the  protracted  conflict  with  the  powers 
of  darkness  foreshadowed  in  the  prophecy  of  this 
book. 


24  NOTES    ON 

8.  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  ending, 
saith  the  Lord,  which  is,  and  which  was,  and  which  is  to 
come,  the  Almighty. 

Ver.  8. — The  same  divine  person,  to  whom  the 
apostle  directs  the  doxology  in  the  6th  verse,  is  in- 
troduced ill  the  8th:  that  is.  the  Lord  Christ.  He 
claims  eternity  and  omnipotence.  He  describes  him- 
self here  in  the  very  words  which  in  the  4th  verse 
are  descriptive  of  the  eternal  subsistence  of  the  per- 
son of  the  Father.  "Alpha  and  Omega,"  the  first 
and  last  letters  of  the  Greek  alphabet,  are  explained 
in  the  words, — ''  the  beginning  and  the  ending.''  This 
language  is  not  to  be  understood  as  expressing  or  de- 
fining the  duration  of  the  Godhead  only;  but  it  points 
also  to  the  divine  purpose  and  providence.  To  the 
same  purpose  speaks  our  Redeemer  under  the  name 
of  Wisdom: — "The  Lord  (the  Father)  possessed  me 
in  the  beginning  (head,  purpose)  of  his  way,  before 
his  works  of  old.''  (Prov.  viii.  22.)  In  joint  counsel 
with  the  Father,  ere  the  wheels  of  time  began  to 
move,  and  being  "almighty"  to  execute  the  purposes 
of  God,  he  is  perfectly  qualified  to  act  as  the  final 
Judge  of  the  world.  And  in  the  great  and  last  day 
"every  tongue  must  confess  that  he  is  Lord,  to  the 
glory  of  God  the  Father."  (Phil.  ii.  IL)  "For  to 
this  end  Christ  both  died,  and  rose,  and  revived, 
that  he  might  be  Lord  both  of  the  dead  and  living." 
(Rom.  xiv.  9.)— "God  is  judge  himself."  (Ps.  L  6.) 

9.  I  John,  who  also  am  your  brother,  and  companion  in 
tribulation,  and  in  the  kingdom  and  patience  of  Jesus  Christ, 
was  in  the  isle  that  is  called  Patnios,  lor  the  word  of  God, 
and  for  the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Ver.  9. — Again,  the  inspired  writer  addresses  the 
Christians  in  Asia,  acquainting  them  verj?  briefly  and 
simply  with  his  present  local  situation ;  not  so  much 
to  move  their  sympathy  with  him,  as  to  express  his 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  25 

unabated  affection  for  them: — "I  am  your  brother, 
.and  companion  in  tribulation."  Although  the  "like 
afflictions  were  accomplished  in  his  brethren,"  the 
Devil  was  permitted  to  "cast''  only  "some  of  them 
into  prison."  But  it  is  remarkable  that  John  utters 
not  a  word,  much  less  manifests  any  resentment, 
against  the  persecutor.  He  was  "in  the  isle  that  is 
called  Patmos:'' — but  he  does  not  say  who  sent  him 
there.  Historians  tell  us  that  he  was  banished  by 
Domitian,  the  Roman  emperor;  others  say,  by  Nero; 
but  the  former  is  more  probable.  This  island  is  pro- 
verbially barren.  It  is  situated  among  a  number  of 
islands  in  the  iEgean  sea,  a  point  of  the  Mediterra- 
nean running  northward  between  Europe  and  Asia, 
and  not  very  remote  from  most  of  the  churches  here 
addressed. 

The  ground  of  controversy  between  John  and  his 
persecutors  was  "the  word  of  God,  and  the  testimony 
of  Jesus  Christ.''  Of  these  he  "bare  record.''  (v.  2.) 
"This,"  say  most  expositors,  "was  the  cause  of 
John's  banishment.''  This  unguarded  language  con- 
founds the  difference  between  a  cause  and  an  occasion. 
John  had  given  no  cause  of  banishment  to  his  ene- 
mies. The  true  cause  of  their  hostility  was  their 
hatred  of  the  "word  of  God  and  the  testimony  of 
Jesus  Christ."  For  these  John  contended  earnestly, 
as  Jude  enjoined;  (ver.  3:)  just  as  Paul  aad  others 
were  "bold  in  their  God  to  speak  the  gospel  of 
God  with  much  contention.''  (1  Thes.  ii.  2.)  We 
have  here  the  standing  ground  of  strife  between  the 
believer  and  the  infidel;  between  Christ  and  Belial, 
between  the  church  and  the  world.  There  is  a  di- 
vine hand  interposed  all  along  in  this  warfare,  and 
the  conflict  will  terminate  only  in  the  extermination 
of  one  of  the  parties.  (Gen.  iii.  15;  Rev.  xx.  10.) 

10.  I  was  in  the  Spirit  on  the  Lord's  day,  and  heard  behind 
me  a  great  voice,  as  of  a  trumpet, 


26  NOTES   ON 

Ver.  10. — The  beloved  disciple  had  often  ^^  tasted 
the  good  word  of  God,''  while  the  bosom-companion 
of  Christ  in  the  time  of  his  ministry  on  earth:  His 
"heart  burned  within  him."  (Luke  xxiv.  32.)  Espe- 
cially had  this  been  his  happy  experience  on  the 
holy  Sabbath.     Now  that  his  condition  is  solitary, 
being  by  violence  ^'driven  out  from  the  inheritance 
of  the  Lord,''  (1  Sam.  xxvi.  19,)  his  gracious  Master 
favours  him  with  a  special  visit.     Did  he  not  say  to 
his  disciples  while  he  was  yet  with  them, — "I  will 
not  leave  you  comfortless?     I  wiJl  come  to  you.'' 
(John  xiv.  18.)     The  Comforter  was  promised  to  sup- 
ply the  want  of  the  Saviour's  bodily  presence,  (v.  16,) 
and   now  John  is   "in   the  Spirit,''  and  it  is  "the 
Lord's  day,'' — the  Christian  Sabbath.     We  may  well 
suppose  this  disciple  never  was  happier,  no,  not  when 
he  was  "leaning  on  Jesus'  bosom.''     He  would  not 
now  envy  the  emperor  or  any  of  his  persecutors  in 
all  their  outward  peace  and  prosperity.     He  was  in 
an   ecstasy, — "whether  in  the  body  or  out  of  the 
body  he  could  not  tell:''  but  his  soul  was  susceptible 
of  the  impressions  of  Christ's  love,  and  of  the  inti- 
mations of   his  sovereign  will.     "  Shall  I  hide  from 
Abraham  the  thing  which  I  do?"  (Gen.  xviii.  17.) 
"  Surely  the  Lord  God  will   do  nothing,  but  he  re- 
vealeth  his  secret  unto  his  servants  the  prophets." 
(Amos  iii.  7.)     John  does  not  boast  as  Balaam, — 
"falling  into  a  trance,  but  having  his   eyes  open:'' 
yet  he  heard  and  saw  as  distinctly  and  clearly  as  if 
his  perceptions  had  come  through  the  medium  of  his 
bodily  ears  and  eyes.     "  He  heard  behind  him  a  great 
voice  as  of  a  trumpet,''  not  to  alarm,  but  to  engage 
attention. 

11.  Saying,  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega;  the  first  and  the  last: 
and,  What  thou  seest,  write  in  a  book,  and  send  it  unto  the 
seven  churches  which  are  in  Asia;  unto  Ephesus,  and  unto 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  27 

Smyrna,  and  unto  Pergamos,  and  imto  Tliyatira,  and  unto 
Sardis,  and  unto  Philadelphia,  and  unto  Laodicea. 

V.  11. — Christ  speaks,  asserting  his  eternity,  and 
consequently  his  equality  with  the  Father.  This 
book  being  written  in  the  Greek  language,  our  Sa- 
viour names  and  appropriates  to  himself  the  first  and 
last  letters  of  the  alphabet  in  that  language,  and 
gives  the  interpretation, — "the  first  and  the  last,'' 
as  in  V.  8.  John  is  directed  to  write  and  send  to  the 
seven  churches  all  that  is  contained  in  this  last  book 
of  the  Bible.  The  churches  are  named  here,  and  in 
the  second  and  third  chapters  they  are  addressed  se- 
verally in  a  letter  to  each.  It  may  be  noted  that 
besides  the  general  commission  to  preach  the  gospel 
to  every  creature,  apostles  had  a  special  call  to  write; 
and  sometimes  a  prohibition, — "write  not,"  (ch.  x. 
4.)  Many  of  the  most  learned  and  godly  divines 
whom  we  would  consider  best  qualified,  have  never 
left  any  writings  for  the  instruction  of  posterity; 
whilst  others  less  qualified,  either  in  respect  of  litera- 
ture or  piety,  or  not  at  all  qualified,  have  filled  the 
world  with  books  without  a  special  call  from  Christ. 
(John  XX.  30,  yl;  xxi.  25.) 

12.  And  I  turned  to  see  the  voice  that  spake  with  me. 
And,  being  turned,  I  saw  seven  golden  candlesticks; 

13.  And  in  the  midst  of  the  seven  condlesticks  one  like 
unto  the  Son  of  man,  clothed  with  a  garment  down  to  the 
foot,  and  girt  about  the  paps  with  a  golden  girdle. 

14.  His  head  and  his  hairs  were  white  like  wool,  as  white 
as  snow;  and  his  eyes  were  as  a  flame  of  fire; 

15.  And  his  feet  like  unto  fine  brass,  as  if  they  burned  in  a 
furnace;  and  his  voice  as  the  sound  of  many  waters. 

16.  And  he  had  in  his  right  hand  seven  stars;  and  out  of 
his  mouth  went  a  sharp  two-edged  sword;  and  his  counte- 
nance was  as  the  sun  shineth  in  his  strength. 

Vs.'  12-16. — His  attention  being  arrested,  the 
apostle  "turned  to  see  the  voice," — that  is,  the  per- 
son from  whom  the  voice  came.    A  glorious  vision  was 


28  NOTES    ON 

presented  to  his  view, — "seven  golden  candlesticks'' 
or  lamp-bearers,  in  allusion  to  the  golden  candle- 
stick with  the  seven  lamps  as  placed  in  the  tabernacle. 
(Exod.  XXV.  31-40.)  "  In  the  midst  of  the  candlesticks 
appeared  one  like  unto  the  Son  of  man,''  the  Me- 
diator, clothed  in  sacerdotal  garments,  supplying  oil 
for  the  light,  after  the  example  of  Aaron  and  his 
sons.  (Exod.  xxvii.  20,  21.)*  The  "garment"  may 
signify  his  mediatorial  righteousness, — the  "golden 
girdle"  the  preciousness  of  his  love,— "his  head  and 
his  hairs  white  like  wool,''  his  purity  and  eternity, — 
"his  eyes  as  a  flame  of  fire,''  his  omniscience,  by 
■which  he  searches  the  reins  and  hearts,  and  sees  the 
end  from  the  beginning;  "his  feet  like  unto  fine  brass," 
the  stability  of  his  appointments  and  the  excellency 
of  his  providential  dispensations, — "his  voice,"  the 
irresistible  energy  of  his  word  to  quicken,  terrify  or 
destroy  at  his  pleasure.  (John  v.  25,  Heb.  xii.  26.) 
"  The  sharp  two-edged  sword''  will  represent  his  awful 
justice  against  the  impenitent  who  resist  his  right- 
eous authority.  "  With  the  breath  of  his  lips  shall 
he  slay  the  wicked."  (Is.  xi.  4;  Luke  xix.  27.)  "  His 
countenance  as  the  sun  shining  in  his  strength,''  dis- 
closed to  the  beloved  disciple  such  splendor  as  to 
overwhelm  him.  The  like  display  of  divine  majesty 
was  insupportable  to  Saul  of  Tarsus  when  on  his  way 
to  Damascus.  (Acts  xxvi.  13.)  To  the  workers  of 
iniquity,  "our  God  is  a  consuming  fire."  (Heb.  xii. 
29.)  It  is  a  certain  truth, — "The  vengeance  of  the 
gospel  is  weighter  than  the  vengeance  of  the  law." 
(Heb.  X.  28,  81.)  "Let  us  therefore  fear." 

17.  And  when  1  saw  him,  I  fell  at  his  feet  as  dead.  And 
he  laid  his  right  hand  upon  me,  saying  unto  me,  Fear  not;  I 
am  the  first  and  the  last: 

18.  I  am  he  that  liveth,  and  was  dead;  and,  behold,  I  am 
alive  for  evermore,  Amen;  and  have  the  keys  of  hell  and 
of death. 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  29 

19.  Write  the  tliiugs  which  thou  hast  seen,  and  the  things 
which  are,  and  the  things  which  shall  be  hereafter; 

20.  The  mystery  of  the  seven  stars,  which  thou  sawest  in 
my  right  hand,  and  the  seven  golden  candlesticks.  The 
seven  stars  are  the  angels  of  the  seven  churches;  and  the 
seven  candlesticks  which  thou  sawest  are  the  seven  churches. 

Ys.  17-20. — Wc  have  the  effect  of  the  vision 
upon  the  beloved  disciple.  He  who  had  leaned  on 
Christ's  bosom  at  supper,  and  who  had  segn  his  Mas- 
ter transfigured  on  the  holy  mount,  was  now  utterly 
overwhelmed  with  the  effulgence  of  his  glory.  John 
"fell  at  his  feet  as  dead."  So  it  was  with  Daniel, 
"a  man  greatly  beloved."  (Daniel  x.  4-8.)  But  the 
compassionate  Saviour  dispelled  his  fears,  as  in  all 
similar  cases;  making  known  to  his  astonished  ser- 
vant his  supreme  deity  and  real  humanity,  as  "the 
first  and  the  last,''  who  died  for  the  sins,  and  was 
raised  again  for  the  justification  of  his  people.  (Rom. 
iv.  25.)  He  is  "alive  for  evermore," — become  "the 
first  fruits  of  them  that  slept."  (1  Cor.  xv.  20.)  He 
"dieth  no  more.  Death  hath  no  more  dominion  over 
him.''  (Rom.  vi.  9.)  And  so  complete  is  his  victory 
over  the  king  of  terrors,  the  last  enemy  of  the  be- 
liever, that  he  hath  "the  keys  of  hell  and  of  death.'* 
He  has  the  "key  of  the  bottomless  pit,''  (xx.  1 ;) 
having  triumphed  over  principalities  and  powers, 
making  a  show  of  them  openly.  (Col.  ii.  15.)  Whe- 
ther Christ  used  the  word,  "amen,''  to  ratify  the 
truth  of  his  immortality;  or  whether  this  is  an  ex- 
pression by  John  of  his  joyful  acquiescence  in  that 
truth,  is  not  material:  we  know  on  satisfactory  evi- 
dence, that  our  Lord  is  a  prophet  and  king,  as  well  as 
a  priest,  "after  the  power  of  an  endless  life."  (Heb. 
vii.  16;  Rom.  xiv.  9.) 

John  is  next  commanded  to  WTite, — First,  "the 
things  which  he  had  seen;''  that  is,  the  description 
of  the  foregoing  vision: — Second,  "the  things  which 
3 


30  NOTES   ON 

are ;''  that  is,  the  actual  condition  of  the  church,  as 
delineated  in  the  diverse  characters  of  the  seven 
churches  addressed,  as  in  the  next  two  chapters:  — 
Third,  "the  things  which  shall  be  hereafter:"  that 
is,  the  prophetical  part  of  the  book,  from  the  begin- 
ning of  the  fourth  chapter  to  the  close,  as  containing 
the  prospective  history  of  the  church  and  of  the  na- 
tions, as  she  was  to  be  affected  by  them,  or  they  by 
her,  till  the  consummation  of  all  things.  This  is  the 
division  of  the  book  made  by  the  divine  Author  him- 
self, and  it  is  a  natural  and  intelligible  one.  All  at- 
tempts of  learned  and  pious  men  by  other  divisions 
to  render  this  mysterious  part  of  the  Bible  more  clear 
to  the  unlearned  reader,  tend  only  to  display  the  in- 
genuity of  the  writers, — not  to  say  their  temerity, 
while  they  "darken  counsel  bywords  without  know- 
ledge." Such  artificial  divisions  are  as  unfounded, 
in  the  apprehension  of  sober  expositors,  as  the  at- 
tempts of  impious  Arians  and  others,  to  turn  the  his- 
torical narrative  of  the  creation  and  fall  of  man  into 
an  allegory ! 

The  meaning  of  the  "seven  stars  and  seven  can- 
dlesticks "  is  then  explained  to  John.  The  word, 
"  are,"  is  used  in  a  figurative  sense,  and  not  to  be 
taken  literally.  It  means  here,  symbolize^  represent 
or  signify.  It  is  to  be  interpreted  in  the  same  sense 
as  in  the  following  places  of  sacred  Scripture: — "It 
is  the  Lord's  passover."  (Exod.  xii.  11.)  "  That 
rock  ivas  Christ."  (1  Cor.  x.  4.)  "  This  is  my  body." 
(Matt.  xxvi.  26.)  None  but  a  Papist  will  have  any 
difiiculty  here,  or  perhaps, — a  Lutheran! 


THE  APOCALYPSE.  31 


CHAPTER  II. 


Some  commentators,  among  whom  may  be  men- 
tioned the  learned  Dr.  Gill,  a  leading  Antipedobap- 
tist  minister  of  England,  have  imagined,  that  the 
seven  epistles  addressed  to  the  Asiatic  churches,  con- 
tain a  mystical  prophecy  of  the  church  general,  co- 
vering the  whole  period  of  her  history  from  the  apos- 
tolic age  till  the  end  of  the  world.  According  to 
this  fancy, — for  it  is  nothing  more  than  a  fancy;  the 
church  in  Smyrna,  will  represent  the  church's  condi- 
tion in  the  second  stage  of  her  history,  when  Arian- 
ism  prevailed!  And  the  Laodicean  must  represent 
her  last,  and  so  her  worst  condition!  How  will  this 
harmonize  with  the  20th  chapter,  where  she  appears 
in  triumph  over  all  her  antichristian  foes?  This  is 
given  as  a  specimen  of  the  unbridled  fancy  and  li- 
centious imagination  with  which  even  good  men  may 
be  tempted  to  approach  the  reading  and  interpreting 
of  this  important  and  instructive  part  of  God's  word. 
But  Peter  informs  us  that  some  persons  in  his  time, 
"wrested"  those  parts  of  Paul's  writings  which  were 
*'dark  and  hard  to  be  understood:"  and  this  was  not 
the  worst  of  their  conduct,  for  they  treated  "the 
other  scriptm^es  also''  in  the  same  reckless  and  irre- 
verent manner,  which  wei-e  neither  dark  nor  hard  to 
be  understood.  (2  Pet.  iii.  16.)  These  epistles  ar© 
no  more  mystical  or  prophetical  than  those  of  the 
apostle  Paul.  They  are  simply  and  properly  desci-ip- 
tive,  although  like  all  other  epistles,  they  are  appli- 
cable to  the  church  general  in  all  ages,  and  equally 
suited  to  the  case  of  individuals,  as  is  clear  in  the 
close  of  each: — "If  any  man  have  an  ear,  let  Idni 
hear." 


32  NOTES   ON 

1.  Unto  the  angel  of  the- church  of  Ephesus  write;  These 
things  saith  he  thatholdeth  the  seven  stars  in  his  right  hand, 
who  walketh  in  the  midst  of  the  seven  golden  candlesticks; 

2.  I  know  thy  works,  and  thy  lahour,  and  thy  patience, 
and  how  thou  canst  not  bear  them  which  are  evil:  and  thou 
hast  tried  them  which  say  they  are  apostles,  and  are  not,  and 
hast  found  them  liars: 

3.  And  hast  borne,  and  hast  patience,  and  for  my  name's 
sake  liast  laboured,  and  hast  not  fainted. 

4.  Nevertheless,  I  have  somewhat  against  thee,  because 
thou  hast  left  thy  first  love. 

5.  Remember  therefore  from  whence  thou  art  fallen,  and 
repent,  and  do  the  first  works;  or  else  I  will  come  unto  thee 
quickly,  and  will  remove  th}^  candlestick  out  of  his  place, 
except  thou  repent. 

G.  But  this  thou  hast,  that  thou  hatest  the  deeds  of  the  Ni- 
colaitanes,  which  I  also  hate. 

7.  lie  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith 
unto  the  churches;  To  him  that  overcometh  will  1  give  to  eat 
of  the  tree  of  life,  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of 
God. 

Verses  1-7. — This  first  epistle,  addressed  to  the 
church  in  Ephesus,  comes  from  the  Lord  Jesus,  who 
holds  the  stars  in  his  right  hand;  who  gives  commi.s- 
sion  to  the  ministry,  gives  them  authority  as  his  am- 
bassadors to  negotiate  with  mankind,  communicates 
to  them  the  light  which  they  diffuse  in  the  world, 
sustains  them  in  their  respective  spheres,  and  controls 
them  as  they  move  in  their  orbits.  He  walks  in  the 
midst  of  the  candlesticks,  as  the  sun  in  the  system  of 
nature,  trimming  and  snuffing  the  lamps  that  they 
may  burn  more  clearly. 

This  is  the  second  epistle  sent  from  Christ  to  the 
church  of  Ephesus.  Paul,  who  is  thought  to  have 
planted  this  church,  (Acts  xviii.  19,)  had  written  to 
those  Christians  some  thirty  years  before,  while  he 
was  a  prisoner  in  Rome.  (Eph.  i.  4;  vi.  20.)  Paul 
and  John  were  nothing  more  than  Christ's  amanuen- 
ses,— "  the  pen  of  a  ready  writer.''  (Ps.  xlv.  1;  1  Cor. 
iii.  7.) — "  The  angel  of  the  church  "  is  at  once  a  sym- 
bolic and  collective  name,  including  also  the  idea  of 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  33 

representation:— not  a  pope  or  any  other  prelatic 
personage.  No  doubt  in  our  Saviour's  estimation 
the  saints  take  precedence  here  of  the  "bishops  (over- 
seers,) and  deacons,''  as  they  do  in  Phil.  i.  1;  Eph.  iv. 
8-12.  All  ecclesiastical  officers  are  Christ's  gift  to 
the  church;  but  the  object  or  recipient  of  the  gift  is 
more  valued  than  the  gift.  And  just  here  is  the 
point  where  prelates  "  do  greatly  err,  not  knowing 
the  Scriptures.''  They  have  arrogated  to  themselves 
the  honourary  title  of  "clergy;''  and  for  the  sake  of 
distinction,  and  to  give  plausibility  to  their  ambitious 
pretensions,  call  the  membership  of  the  church  the 
"laity," — contrary  to  the  express  decision  of  the  un- 
erring Spirit.  Peter  cautions  the  "  elders ''  that  they 
be  not  as  "lords  over  God's  lieritage^^' — lot^  clergy; 
where  it  is  obvious  that  the  body  of  the  people,  as 
distinguished  from  their  rulers,  are  denominated  the 
clergy.  Moreover,  it  is  evident  to  any  unbiased  read- 
er, that  the  membership,  and  not  a  bishop  only,  are 
addressed  by  our  Lord  in  these  epistles;  as  when  he 
says, — "some  of  you.''  (v.  10.)  Hence  it  may  be 
inferred  that  there  is  no  proof  in  these  epistles  on 
which  to  erect  the  antichristian  hierarchy  of  diocesan 
prelacy;  and  consequently  that  ecclesiastical  govern- 
ment is  by  divine  right,  lodged  in  the  hands  of  a 
plurality  of  presbyters. 

Christ  notices  what  is  commendable,  before  he  ad- 
ministers reproof.  "I  know  thy  works.'' — There 
seems  to  be  an  incompatibility  between  the  *' pa- 
tience"  commended,  and  not  being  able  to  "bear 
them  which  were  evil.''  But  patience  under  perse- 
cution or  any  other  providential  dispensation,  is  per- 
fectly consistent  with  an  enlightened  zeal  against 
error  and  immorality.  Indeed,  the  two  graces, — pa- 
tience and  zeal,  are  inseparable  in  themselves,  and 
as  connected  with  all  the  other  graces  of  the  Holy 


34  NOTES    ON 

Spirit. — There  were  such  in  the  primitive  church, 
who  claimed  to  be  apostles,  and  who,  upon  trial,  were 
discovered  to  be  impostors.  Paul,  in  the  exercise  of 
the  miraculous  gift  of  "  discerning  of  spirits,"  couhi, 
without  presbyterial  examination  of  witnesses,  per- 
sonally detect  "false  apostles,  deceitful  workers''  in 
Corinth.  (2  Cor.  xi.  13.)  But  John  was  not  at  Ephe- 
sus,  and  therefore  the  ordinary  rulers  are  approved 
by  Christ  for  the  faithful  exercise  of  discipline.  Per- 
sons who  falsify  the  doctrines  and  corrupt  the  order 
and  ordinances  of  divine  appointment,  are  the  worst 
of  liars,  and  having  been  by  competent  authority 
"found"  to  be  such;  they  may  be  so  called  without 
breach  of  charity.  When  discipline  is  neglected  or 
relaxed,  error  and  tyranny  soon  enter,  with  "confu- 
sion and  every  evil  work.''  But  when  false  teachers 
have  gained  followers  and  influence  in  the  church, 
the  friends  of  truth  and  order  will  be  in  danger  of 
yielding  to  the  pressure.  They  are  liable  to  become 
weary  and  faint  in  their  minds,''  (Heb.  xii.  3;)  but 
zeal  for  their  Master's  honor  will  animate  them  to 
contend  for  the  faith  so  as  to  secure  his  approbation. 
It  is  remarkable  that  so  much  labor,  patience,  zeal 
etc.,  should  be  found  in  this  church  while -chargeable 
with  having  "fallen  from  first  love."  Habits  con- 
tracted in  the  fervor  of  early  affection  to  Christ, 
may  continue  to  influence  an  individual  or  a  church, 
when  the  fervency  of  affection  is  sensibly  abated. 
This  state  of  feeling  the  exercised  Christian  will  con- 
fess and  lament.  Nothing  but  repentance  and  refor- 
mation in  such  a  case  will  procure  the  approbation 
and  restore  the  favor  of  Christ.  Continued  impeni- 
tence is  threatened  with  removing  "the  candlestick," 
the  gospel,  ministry  and  ordinances. 

The  Nicolaitanes  were  a  sect  of  corrupt  professors 
of  Christianity  of  whose  doctrines  and  deeds  little 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  35 

or  nothing  is  certainly  known.  It  is  most  generally 
supposed  that  they  were  a  sort  of  Antinomians,  who 
turned  the  grace  of  God  into  lasciviousnesS';  and 
there  is  a  tradition,  not  well  sustained,  that  their 
heresy  was  derived  from  Nicolas,  a  proselyte  of  Ari- 
tiocli,  one  of  the  seven  deacons  of  whom  we  read. 
Acts  vi.  5.  The  similarity  of  name  seems  to  have 
suggested  this  fancy;  for  there  is  no  historical  evi- 
dence that  one  who  was  ''of  honest  report,  full  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  and  wisdom,''  was  permitted  thus  to 
fall  away.  Their  deeds,  however,  were  hateful  to 
Christ,  and  therefore  hateful  to  his  real  disciples: 
for  one  of  the  infallible  marks  of  a  state  of  grace  is 
to  hate  what, — yes  and  whom, — our  Lord. hates.  (Ps. 
cxxxix.  21,  22.)  All  who  read  or  hear  these  things 
are  interested  in  them,  whether  they  will  hear,  or 
whether  they  will  forbear.  What  Christ  saith  in 
each  of  these  epistles,  the  Spirit  saith;  and  what  is 
said  to  each  church  is  said  to  all  the  seven ;  that  is, 
to  the  whole  visible  church.  *'To  him  that  over- 
cometh"  false  apostles,  the  deeds  of  the  Nicolaitanes, 
any  doctrines  or  practices  in  opposition  to  the  truth 
of  Christ,  or  militating  against  the  honor  of  Christ; 
to  such  he  ''will  give  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  life,"  from 
which  Adam  was  excluded  upon  the  breach  of  the 
first  covenant.  (Genesis  iii.  22-24.)  What  the  first 
Adam  lost  by  the  fall,  the  last  Adam  will  restore 
with  interest,  (1  Cor.  ii.  9.)  The  felicity  of  the  saints 
in  glory  can  be  represented  only  by  sensible  things; 
and  even  then  but  very  imperfectly.  (1  Cor.  xiii.  12; 
1  John  iii.  2.) 

8.  And  unto  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Smyrna  write; 
These  things  saith  the  first  and  the  last,  which  was  dead, 
and  is  alive; 

9.  I  know  thy  works,  and  tribulation,  and  poverty,  (but 
thou  art  rich,)  and  I  know  the  blasphemy  of  them  which  say 
they  are  Jews,  and  are  not,  but  are  the  synagogue  of  Satan. 


36  NOTES    ON 

10.  Fear  none  of  those  things  which  thou  shalt  suffer:  be- 
hold, the  devil  shall  cast  some  of  you  into  prison,  that  ye  may 
be  tried;  and  ye  shall  have  tribulation  ten  days:  be  thou  faith- 
ful unto  death,  and  I  will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life. 

11.  He  that  hath  an  ear  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith 
unto  the  churches;  He  that  overcometh  shall  not  be  hurt  of 
the  second  death. 

Vs.  8-11. — Smyrna  is  the  second  in  order  of  the 
seven  churches  addressed  through  the  ministry  as  the 
official  representatives.  Our  Saviour  here  assumes 
those  titles  mentioned  in  ch.  i.  17,  18,  which  hespeak 
his  divine  personal  dignity  and  voluntary  humiliation, 
his  eternal  Godhead  and  true  manhood, — ''God  ma- 
nifest in  the  flesh,"  having  by  death  triumphed  over 
death,  to  deliver  them  who  through  fear  of  death 
were  all  their  life-time  subject  to  bondage.  (Heb.  ii. 
15.)  This  church  was  subjected  to  "tribulation," — 
persecution  in  name,  substance  and  person.  The 
members  were  either  of  the  poorer  sort  of  the  citizens 
of  Smyrna,  or  rendered  poor  by  fines, — "the  spoil- 
ing of  their  goods.'' — "But  thou  art  rich,"  rich  in 
faith,  in  good  works,  in  the  gifts  and  graces  of  the 
Spirit,  the  earnest  of  the  heavenly  inheritance. — In 
this  place  a  colony  of  Jews  had  gained  such  social 
influence  as  to  move  the  populace,  and  even  the  local 
magistrates,  to  offer  violence  to  the  servants  of  God. 
It  does  not  appear  that  these  Jews  were  professing 
Christians  of  any  creed,  but  just  such  as  Paul  often 
encountered  in  Jiidea  and  elsewhere.  (Acts  xvi.  19- 
22.)  The  devil  instigated  the  Jews,  and  they  the 
Gentiles;  and  both,  the  magistrates,  to  silence  the 
testimony  of  Christ's  witnesses,  by  which  all  were 
tormented.  The  design  of  the  devil,  who  was  a  mur- 
derer from  the  beginning,  was  to  destroy  that  church ; 
but  Christ's  design  was  to  try  her  members.  Only 
sortie  were  to  be  imprisoned,  and  the  time  of  trial 
would  be  limited  to  "ten  days," — a  definite  for  an 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  37 

indefinite,  but  short  time.  Those  who  resist  the  truth 
contradict  its  advocates,  and  blaspheme  the  holy  name 
of  God,  though  professing  to  be  either  Jews  or  Chris- 
tians, are  a  "  synagogue  of  Satan.''  "  A  crown  of 
life''  is  promised  to  such  as  proved  "faithful  unto 
death."  They  shall  not  be  "hurt  of  the  second 
death;"  that  is,  eternal  death.  (Ch.  xx.  14,  15.) 

12.  And  to  the  angel  of  tlie  cliurcli  in  Pergamos  write; 
These  things  saith  he  which  hath  the  sharp  sword  with  two 
edges; 

13.  I  know  thy  works,  and  where  thou  dwellest,  even 
where  Satan's  seat  is:  and  thou  holdest  fast  mj  name,  and 
hast  not  denied  my  faith,  even  in  those  days  wherein  Antipas 
was  my  faithful  martyr,  who  was  slain  among  you,  where 
Satan  dwelleth. 

14.  But  I  have  a  few  things  against  thee,  because  thou  hast 
there  them  that  hold  the  doctrine  of  Balaam,  who  taught 
Balak  to  cast  a  stumbling-block  before  the  children  of  Israel, 
to  eat  things  sacrificed  unto  idols,  and  to  commit  fornication. 

15.  So  hast  tlion  also  them  that  hold  the  doctrine  of  the  Ni- 
colaitanes,  which  thing  I  hate. 

16.  Repeat;  or  else  I  v/ill  come  unto  thee  quickly,  and 
will  fight  against  them  with  the  sword  of  my  mouth. 

17.  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith 
unto  the  churches;  To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  give  to  eat 
of  the  hidden  manna,  and  will  give  him  a  white  stone,  and 
in  the  stone  a  new  name  written,  which  no  man  knoweth 
saving  he  that  receiveth  it. 

Vs.  12-17. — To  the  church  in  Pergamos  reproofs 
and  threatenings  are  addressed  by  him  who  has  the 
"sharp  sword."  Satan  had  his  throne  in  this  place, 
whence  he  assailed  the  true  doctrine  and  disciples 
of  Christ  by  heresy  and  persecution.  In  such  a  great 
fight  of  afl3ictions  there  was  one  distinguished,  like 
Stephen,  for  boldness  and  fortitude,  who  "resisted 
unto  blood,  striving  against  sin."  And  wherever 
there  is  a  "faithful  martyr''  for  Christ,  who  "holds 
fast  his  name,  and  will  not  deny  his  faith"  at  the 
risk  of  his  life,  his  divine  Lord  will  condescend  to 
register  his  name  among  that  noble  company  who 


38  NOTES    ON 

"by  faith  have  obtained  a  good  report.''  (Ileb.  xi.  2.) 
The  "doctrine  of  Balaam"  and  that  of  the  Nicolai- 
tanes  led  to  gross  immoralities  in  apostolic  times  as 
of  old  in  the  days  of  Moses.  (Num.  xxxi.  16.)  And 
thus  it  appears,  that  old  heresies,  which  have  been 
condemned,  are  afterwards  revived  under  new  names, 
and  patronized  by  new  leaders.  In  such  a  case,  we 
have  the  authority  of  Christ  for  calling  them  by  the 
same  names  of  those  whose  principles  they  adopt,  and 
whose  example  they  emulate.  It  was  no  breach  of 
charity,  therefore,  by  our  forefathers  to  designate 
those  who  "delated''  them  to  the  cruel  persecutors 
in  Scotland  by  the  name  of  "Ziphites,''  or  to  call  the 
archtraitor  Sharp, — "a  Judas.''  The  Lord  Jesus 
"hates  the  doctrine''  as  well  as  "deeds  of  Nicolai- 
tanes,''  w^hich  are  subversive  of  truth  and  godliness. 
Those  who  oppose  the  doctrines  of  Balaam  and  the 
Nicolaitanes  in  any  age  when  these  are  popular,  must 
expect  persecution.  But  when  "troubles  abound  for 
Christ's  sake,  consolations  much  more  abound  by 
Christ.''  This  is  to  "eat  of  the  hidden  manna." 
Also,  the  "white  stone"  or  pebble, — the  token  of 
justification, —  will  be  given  to  the  conqueror  in  the 
Christian  conflict.  The  allusion  here  is  to  the  mode 
of  procedure  in  courts  of  judgment  among  the  ancient 
Greeks.  White  stones  were  cast  for  acquittal;  black 
for  condemnation.  The  manna  is  hidden,  and  so  is 
the  ivhite  stone,  both  signifying  the  sustaining  and 
consoling  evidence  of  the  Comforter, — the  Iloly 
"Spirit  witnessing  with  the  spirit"  of  the  persecuted 
believer,  that  he  is  a  "child  of  God.''  It  is  the  same 
thing  as  the  "hundred-fold  in  this  life,"  promised  by 
Christ.  (Matt.  xix.  29.) 

It  is  worthy  of  notice,  in  the  condition  of  this 
church,  that  wdiile  among  a  minority  may  be  found 
an   "Antipas, — faithful   martyr"   for  the    cause   of 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  39 

Christ,  against  those  who  hold  the  doctrine  of  Bahiani 
and  the  Nichohiitanes:  tlie  majority  are  called  upon 
to  "repent," — evidently  for  conniving  at  the  destruc- 
tive errors  and  immoralities  of  those  seducers.  And 
unless  the  discipline  of  the  church  was  employed  to 
"purge  out  these  rebels;''  the  Master  would  take 
the  work  into  his  own  hand,  and  *' fight  against  them 
with  the  sword  of  his  mouth:''  and  then  such  as 
screened  or  spared  these  sinners  might  expect  to  par- 
take of  their  just  punishment.  Rulers  in  the  church 
"must  give  account  for  those  over  whom  they  watch." 

18.  And  unto  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Thyatira  write; 
These  things  saith  the  ^on  of  God,  who  hatli  his  eyes  like  unto 
a  fl-.ime  of  fire,  and  his  feet  are  like  tine  brass; 

19.  I  know  thy  W(*rks,  and  cliarity,  and  service,  and  faith, 
and  thy  patience,  and  thy  works;  and  the  last  to  be  mure  than 
the  first. 

20.  Notwithstanding,  I  have  a  few  things  against  thee,  be- 
cause thou  sufi'erest  that  woman  Jezebel,  wliich  caiiethherself 
a  prophetess,  to  teach  and  to  seduce  my  servants  to  commit 
fornication,  and  to  eat  things  sacrificed  unto  idols. 

21.  And  I  gave  her  space  to  repent  of  her  fornication ;  and 
she  repented  not. 

22.  Behold,  I  will  cast  her  into  a  bed,  and  them  that  com- 
mit adultery  with  her  into  great  tribulation,  except  they  re- 
pent of  their  deeds. 

23.  And  I  will  kill  her  children  with  death;  and  all  the 
churches  shall  know  that  I  am  he  which  searcheth  the  reins 
and  hearts:  and  I  will  give  unto  every  one  of  you  according 
to  your  works. 

24.  But  unto  you  I  say,  and  unto  the  rest  in  Thyatira,  (as 
many  as  have  not  this  doctrine,  and  which  have  not  known 
the  depths  of  Satan,  as  they  speak;)!  will  put  upon  you  none 
other  i)urden : 

25.  But  that  which  ye  have  already,  hold  fast  till  1  come. 

26.  And  he  that  overeometh,  and  keepeth  my  works  unto 
the  end,  to  him  will  I  give  power  over  the  natiDns: 

27.  And  he  shall  rule  them  with  a  rod  of  iron;  as  the  ves- 
sels of  a  potter  shall  they  be  broken  to  shivers;  even  as  I  re- 
ceived of  my  Father. 

28.  And  I  will  give  him  the  morning-s'ar. 

29.  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith 
unto  the  churches. 


40  NOTES    ON 

Ys.  18-29. — The  most  lengthy  epistle  is  sent  to 
the  church  in  Thjatira.  He  ^s-lio  is  the  "  Son  of  God,'' 
a  divine  person,  possessing  the  essential  attributes  of 
omniscience  and  immutability,  has  more  to  say  to 
this  church  than  to  any  of  the  rest.  Commending, 
as  usual,  whatever  was  commendable, — their  "works, 
charity,  service,''  etc.;  "and  the  last  to  be  more  than 
the  first :"  he  has,  nevertheless,  "  a  few  things  against 
them,'' — especially  *' suffering  that  woman  Jezebel 
to  teach."  Is  this  ''woman  Jezebel''  to  be  taken 
in  a  literal  or  figurative  sense?  Analogy  seems  to 
require  a  metaphorical  sense.  If,  in  the  preceding 
epistle,  "Balaam''  is  not  to  be  understood  literally 
and  personally,  but  figuratively  and  representatively, 
so  Jezebel  represents  an  individual,  or  rather  as  that 
other  woman,  (ch.  xvii.  4,)  a  faction  or  sect,  who 
propagated  destructive  heresy.  Jezebel  was  daughter 
of  Ethbaal,  King  of  the  Zidonians,  whom  Ahab  mar- 
ried contrary  to  the  express  law  of  God.  (1  Kings 
xvi.  31;  Deut.  vii.  3.)  She  was  a  violent  persecutor 
of  the  Lord's  people,  because  she  was  given  to  idola- 
try; and  she  was  an  instigator  of  all  the  cruelty  per- 
petrated by  that  wicked  king,  "whom  Jezebel  his 
wife  stirred  up.''  As  Ahab  suffered  his  wife  to  con- 
trol his  policy,  "giving  him  the  vineyard  of  Naboth," 
etc.,  so  it  appears,  the  rulers  in  this  church  are  blamed 
for  permitting  "a  woman  to  teach,''  contrary  to  the 
law  of  Christ."  (1  Tim.  ii.  12.)  She  ^'called  herself 
a  prophetess,'' — why  not  then  require  her  to  show 
her  credentials?  Permitted  to  usurp  the  functions 
of  a  public  teacher,  she  "seduced  Christ's  servants'' 
to  join  in  the  abominable  rites  of  the  heathen.  Spi- 
ritual fornication,  especially  when  conducted  by  fe- 
male agency,  has  always  issued  in  that  which  is  lite- 
ral. This  may  be  verified  from  the  time  of  Noah  and 
Balaam  till  the  erection  of  nunneries  under  the  sane- 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  41 

tion  of  til c  '^man  of  sin.'*  The  distinction  here  be- 
tween "comniitting  fornication"  and  "eating  things 
sacrificed  unto  idols,''  intimates  that  the  "adultery'' 
is  to  be  taken  in  a  literal  sense.  Time  was  allowed 
for  repentance,  "and  she  repented  not.''  All  this 
time  the  rulers  were  culpable:  therefore  the  Lord 
himself,  as  before,  will  interpose  to  rectify  such  gross 
sin  and  scandal.  This  he  w^ould  do  by  visiting  these 
impenitent  transgressors  with  some  incurable  disease 
which  would  issue  in  certain  death.  So  he  did  in 
the  church  of  Corinth.  (1  Cor.  xi.  30.)  By  this  ex- 
ample he  would  teach  "all  the  churches,  that  it  is  he 
who  searcheth  the  reins  and  hearts,'' — demonstrating 
his  divine  omniscience. — "But  unto  you  I  say." 
Where  now  is  to  be  discovered,  in  this  address  of 
the  Saviour,  that  *' presiding  minister,''  or  diocesan 
bishop,  whom  the  anti- christian  prelates  affirm  our 
Lord  addresses  in  all  these  epistles?  "And  unto  the 
rest  in  Thyatira," — still  no  prelate  addressed;  but 
those  laborious  and  patient  ones  previously  commend- 
ed, wdio  "had  not  known  the  depths  of  Satan.'' 
Those  deceivers  pretended  to  instruct  their  deluded 
followers  in  the  "deep  things  of  God;"  but  Christ 
calls  them  "depths  of  Satan.''  It  is  usual  with  the 
devil's  factors  to  delude  credulous  persons  with  pre- 
tending to  teach  them  deep  mj^steries, — "  curious 
arts."  (Acts  xix.  18,  19.) 

To  such  as  withstood  the  adversary  and  his  allies, 
Christ  w^ould  give  no  additional  injunctions  to  those 
which  they  had  received.  And  to  animate  them  to 
continued  fidelity  and  fortitude  in  future  conflicts 
with  these  enemies  of  all  righteousness,  he  holds  forth 
an  ample  reward.  He  shall  share  in  the  honor  of 
his  Master,  conferred  on  him  by  his  Father.  What- 
ever may  be  comprehended  in  this  promise,  it  can  be 
made  good  to  the  victorious  Christian  only  by  Him 


42  NOTES    ON 

who  is  divine.  None  else  has  "power  over  the  na- 
tions," but  he  to  whom  "all  power  is  given  in  heaven 
and  in  earth.''  (Matt,  xxviii.  18.)  "The  morning 
star"  ma}^  signify  Christ  himself,  (ch.  xxii.  16,)  or 
the  "first  fruits  of  the  Spirit,''  (Rom.  viii.  23,)  or 
the  full  assurance  of  grace.  (2  Peter  i.  19.) 

As  before,  what  "Christ  saith,  the  Spirit  saith;" 
and  the  instruction,  warning  and  threatening  sent  to 
the  church  in  Thyatira,  Avas  addressed  to  all  churches 
and  to  every  human  being  endowed  with  an  "  ear  to 
hear.''  It  is  assumed  in  the  beginning  of  the  Apoc- 
alypse, that  only  some  will  have  sufficient  education 
to  "read  the  words  of  the  prophecy  of  this  book;'' 
and  such  is  the  condescension  of  our  gracious  Master, 
that  those  who,  by  reason  of  invincible  ignorance, 
cannot  read,  yet  may  share  in  the  reward  promised 
to  such  as  "hear  and  keep"  the  sayings  of  this  book. 
And  no  doubt  thousands  have  received  this  reward 
since  the  begun  decline  of  Popery,  who  were  privi- 
leged to  hear  and  to  "know  the  joyful  sound"  of  the 
gospel  proclaimed  by  the  heralds  of  the  Reformation. 
In  the  times  of  Luther,  Calvin,  Knox,  and  others, 
who  were  their  compeers  and  successors,  many  were 
called  from  darkness  to  light,  in  continental  and  in- 
sular Europe,  who  could  not  read. 

All  are  commanded  to  "search  the  Scriptures." 
Now  to  be  able  to  obey  this  reasonable  command, 
either  all  must  be  instructed  in  the  knowledge  of 
Hebrew  and  Greek, — the  two  languages  in  which  the 
Bible  was  originally  written,  or  the  Bible  must  be 
translated  into  the  languages  of  all  nations.  But 
the  former  supposition  is  impracticable,  and  therefore 
the  latter  is  dutiful.  And  after  all  that  has  been 
done,  and  is  yet  to  be  accomplished,  in  translating 
the  sacred  writings  into  the  languages  of  the  nations 
of  the  earth,  the  "angels  of  the  churches"  will  be 
employed  by  the  cliief  Sliepherd  in  feeding  his  flock. 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  43 


CHAPTER  III. 

1.  Ami  unto  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Sardis  write;  These 
things  saith  he  that  hath  the  seven  Spirits  of  God,  and  the 
seven  fttars;  I  know  thy  works,  that  thou  hast  a  name  that 
th"u  livest,  anti  art  dead. 

2.  Be  watchful,  and  strengthen  the  things  which  remain, 
that  are  ready  to  die:  for  I  have  not  found  thy  works  perfect 
before  God. 

3.  Remember  therefore  how  thou  hast  received  and  heard, 
and  hold  fast,  and  repent.  If  therefore  thou  shalt  not  watch, 
I  will  come  on  thee  us  a  thief,  and  thou  shalt  not  know  what 
hour  I  will  come  upon  thee. 

4.  Thou  hast  a  few  names  even  in  Sardis  which  have  not 
defiled  their  garments;  and  they  shall  walk  with  me  in  white: 
for  they  are  worrhy. 

5.  He  that  overcometh,  the  same  shall  be  clothed  in  white 
raiment;  and  I  will  not  blot  out  his  name  out  of  the  book  of 
life,  but  I  will  confess  his  name  before  my  Father,  and  before 
his  angels. 

6.  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith 
uuto  the  churches. 

Vs.  1-6. — As  hitherto  in  these  epistles  we  do  not 
discover  a  "presiding  minister"  above  an  elder,  so 
neither  do  we  in  this  one  find  any  hint  of  a  "bishop 
and  pastors."  All  Christ's  bishops  are  elders,  and 
"all  are  brethren."  (Acts  xx.  17,  28.)  Prelacy, — 
that  is,  preferring  one  pastor  before  another  in  office, 
is  expressly  prohibited  by  the  church's  only  Lawgiver. 
(Matt.  xx.  25,  26.)  The  attempts  to  annul  this  law 
of  Christ  has  caused  more  sin  and  suffering  to  his 
disciples  than  any  one  external  agency  of  the  devil. 
The  whole  history  of  the  church  furnishes  the  evi- 
dence of  this. 

The  church  in  Sardis  is  addressed  by  him  who 
"hath  the  seven  spirits  of  God  and  the  seven  stars," 
who  has  authority  by  office  to  give  the  quickening 
influences  of  the  Spirit  to  the  dead,  and  his  reviving 


44  NOTES    ON 

influences  to  the  dormant;  for  revival  presupposes 
life.  Their  "works  were  not  perfect  before  God/' 
however  they  might  appear  to  men.  The  majority 
were  in  a  languishing  condition,  had  "given  them- 
selves over  to  a  detestable  neutrality''  in  the  Lord's 
cause.  And  as  the  whole  body  is  justly  characterized 
by  the  major  part;  this  church  is  described  as  "dead." 
"Be  watchful, — remember, — repent."  These  du- 
ties point  out  the  prevailing  sins,  namely,  slothful- 
nass,  forgetfulness  and  security.  Where  these  pre- 
dominate, "things  that  remain  are  ready  to  die.'' 
And  there  is  no  other  remedy  but  that  of  applying 
to  the  "Seven  Spirits  of  God,"  which  Christ  is  ready 
to  shed  abundantly  on  all  who  make  believing  appli- 
cation. 

Christ  threatens  to  ''come  as  a  thief"  upon  those 
who  do  not  "watch.''  In  sinjilitudes,  we  are  not  to 
indulge  a  licentious  fancy  in  our  attempts  to  inter- 
pret them.  The  objects  of  the  thief's  visit  and  that 
of  Christ  are  not  the  point  of  resemblance;  for  "the 
thief  Cometh  not  but  for  to  steal,  and  to  kill,  and  to 
destroy."  The  point,  and  the  only  point  of  resem- 
blance, is  the  suddenness  of  the  visit.  Ignorance  or 
neglect  of  this  rule  of  interpretation  has  been  a  fruit- 
ful source  of  error,  especially  in  expounding  Revela- 
tion.' 

In  this  epistle,  the  order  hitherto  observed  by  the 
Saviour  is  reversed.  What  was  praiseworthy  in  other 
churches  was  first  noticed.  Here  the  commendation 
follows  the  reproof.  "Thou  hast  a  few  names,''  etc. 
A  virtuous  minority  are  "undefiled  in  the  way.'' 
They  have  nobly  withstood  the  prevailing  contami- 
nation, and  therefore  Christ  will  admit  them  to  fel- 
lowship and  honor.  The  victor  shall  be  "clothed 
in  white  raiment," — grace  shall  be  perfected  in  glory ; 
and  their  names,  which  were  inscribed  in  the  book 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  45 

* 

of  life, — the  register  of  the  church  of  the  first-born, 
shall  be  confessed  by  Christ  "before  his  Father  and 
before  his  angels,''  as  having  "followed  the  Lamb,'' 
when  others  went  back  like  Orpah.  (Ruth  i.  15.) 
Let  those  who,  having  "put  their  hand  to  the  plough," 
are  tempted  to  "look  back,"  consider  "what  the 
Spirit  saith"  to  the  church  in  Sardis. 

7.  And  to  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Philadelphia  write: 
These  thino;s  sairh  he  that  is  holy,  he  that  is  true,  he  that  hath 
the  key  of  David,  he  that  openeth,  and  no  man  shutteth;  and 
shutteih,  and  no  man  openeth; 

8.  I  know  thy  works:  behold,  I  have  set  before  thee  an 
open  door,  and  no  man  can  shut  it:  for  thou  hast  a  little 
strength,  and  hast  kept  my  word,  and  has  not  denied  my 
name. 

9.  Behold,  I  will  make  them  of  the  synagogue  of  Satan, 
which  say  they  are  Jews,  and  are  not,  but  do  lie;  behold,  I 
w^ill  make  them  to  come  and  worship  before  thy  feet,  and  to 
know  that  I  have  loved  thee. 

10.  Because  thou  hast  kept  the  word  of  my  patience,  I  also 
will  keep  thee  from  the  hour  of  temptation,  which  shall 
come  upon  all  the  world,  to  try  them  that  dwell  upon  the 
earth. 

11.  Behold,  I  come  quickly:  hold  that  fast  which  thou  hast, 
that  no  man  take  thy  crown. 

12.  Him  that  overcomerh  will  I  make  a  pillar  in  the  temple 
of  my  God,  and  he  shall  go  no  more  out:  and  I  will  write 
upon  him  the  name  of  my  God,  and  the  name  of  the  city  of 
my  God,  which  is  new  Jerusalem,  which  cometh  down  out  of 
heaven  from  my  God;  and  I  will  write  upon  him  my  new 
name. 

13.  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith 
unto  the  churches. 

Vs.  7-13. — This  church,  like  the  one  in  Smyrna, 
is  "without  rebuke,''  in  the  midst  of  similar  trials. — 
Christ's  message  is  prefaced,  as  usual,  by  some  de- 
scription of  himself,  implying  his  supreme  deity  and 
authority.  "He  that  is  holy,  he  that  is  true,''  is 
more  than  a  creature.  As  "there  is  none  good  but 
one,  that  is  God;''  so,  "there  is  none  IiGly  as  the 
4 


46  NOTES    ON 

Lord,''  (Jehovah,)  (ISam.ii.  2.)  Here  is  another, 
among  many  plain  proofs,  of  our  Saviour's  proper 
divinity.  His  divine  authority  is  held  forth  in  his 
*' having  the  key  of  David,''  etc.  A  key  is  the  sym- 
bol of  authority,  (Matt.  xvi.  19,)  and  the  reference 
is  to  that  prophecy,  (Isa.  xxii.  20-24,)  in  which  the 
mediatorial  dominion  of  Christ  is  set  forth,  by  calling 
Eliakim  to  the  place  of  authority  in  the  room  of 
Sliebna.  "The  key  of  the  house  of  David  will  I  lay 
upon  his  shoulder.''  It  is  in  virtue  of  this  extensive 
grant  of  power  from  the  Father,  that  the  Lord  Christ 
has  a  right,  as  Mediator,  to  send  his  ambassadors 
into  all  nations,  to  call  sinners  (rebels)  back  to  their 
rightful  allegiance;  and  also  to  execute  deserved 
punishment  upon  all  who  do  harm  to  his  servants. 
(Ps.  cv.  15.)  In  the  exercise  of  his  rightful  authority, 
he  has  set  before  this  church  an  "open  door''  of  li- 
berty, of  opportunity,  of  activity;  that  she  may  put 
forth  her  "little  strength"  in  keeping  Christ's  word 
and  confessing  his  name  amidst  opposition,  reproach 
and  violence;  for  it  is  obvious,  that  udien  impostors 
fail  to  reach  their  objects  by  deceit,  they  will  resort 
to  forcible  measures.  Because  this  church  was  una- 
ble to  purge  herself  by  corrective  discipline, — having 
but  "a  little  strenojth,"  therefore  Christ  declares  his 
purpose  to  strip  these  lying  Jews  of  their  cloak  of 
hypocrisy,  and  exhibit  them  in  their  true  character 
a  "synagogue  (church)  of  Satan."  (James ii.  2.)  See- 
ing that  in  apostolic  times  there  were  apostles,  mi- 
nisters, churches  of  the  devil,  is  it  to  be  supposed 
that  we  violate  the  law  of  charity,  if  in  our  own  de- 
generate age,  when  heresies  abound,  when  ecclesias- 
tical order  is  trampled  upon,  we  venture  to  apply  the 
language  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  unholy  and  profane 
amalgamations?  No,  it  is  part  of  the  special  busi- 
ness of  Christ's  witnesses  to  unmask  specious  hy])o- 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  47 

critos  and  warn  of  danger  from  false  teachers,  (2  Cor. 
xi.  1--3-15;  Gal.  i.  6,  7,)  that  "tlieir  folly  may  be 
made  manifest  to  all  men."  (2  Tim.  iii.  8,  9;  2  Peter 
ii.  1,  3.) — The  cruel  enemy,  who  in  the  day  of  pros- 
perity boasts  of  his  success,  in  the  day  of  adversity 
becomes  the  most  arrant  coward  and  crino-inii:  sun- 
pliant, — whether  it  be  Saul  or  Shimei.  (1  Sam.  xv. 
30;  2  Sam.  xix.  18.)  Haughty  persecutors  have  been 
changed  to  huo;ible  suitors  for  an  interest  in  the  pray- 
ers of  their  victims, — "to  worship  before  their  feet." 
"The  word  of  Christ's  patience''  may  signify  any 
truth  or  doctrine  of  the  Bible  which  is  of  supernatural 
revelation.  The  same  idea  is  suggested  by  the  phrase, 
''  the  present  truth," — any  divine  truth  which  may 
come  to  be  opposed  or  denied,  especially  as  it  may 
bear  upon  the  personal  glory  of  our  Redeemer.  Love 
to  Christ  is  often  tested  by  an  enlightened  and  firm 
adherence  to  the  "truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,"  when 
"false  apostles  will  sell  it  for  a  mess  of  pottage." 
(Prov.  xxiii.  23;  2  Cor.  xiii.  8.)  The  first  promise 
here  is  of  a  temporal  kind,  of  protection  in  time  of 
general  danger.  The  "temptation"  thus  predicted 
may  refer  to  some  of  those  "ten  persecutions''  waged 
by  the  Roman  emperors  against  the  Christians,  as 
that  of  Trajan  in  particular;  but  doubtless,  like  many 
other  predictions,  it  was  to  have  more  than  one  ful- 
filment. The  expression,  "all  the  world"  does  in- 
deed sometimes  mean  the  Roman  empire,  (Luke  ii.  1;) 
but  perhaps  it  would  be  rash  to  aflirm,  that  it  is  to 
be  always  thus  limited.  Like  "the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven,— the  kingdom  of  God," — phrases  which  have 
unquestionably  a  two-fold  signification,  so  it  will  be 
safer  to  consider  this  expression  as  of  a  similar  kind. 
All  other  churches  would  be  exposed  to  trial,  from 
which  this  one  would  be  exempted.  The  trial  might 
consist  of  persecution,  or  the  spreading  of  heretical 


48  NOTES   ON 

principles  and  wicked  practices,  followed  by  aposta- 
cies.  At  such  a  time  of  trial,  a  firm  adherence  to 
the  *' doctrines  which  are  after  godliness,"  would  be 
imperative  duty,  and  the  only  Avay  to  secure  the  vic- 
tor's crown.  The  gracious  reward  of  fidelity  here 
promised  is  a  permanent  and  honorable  place  in 
the  heavenly  temple, — the  temple  of  Christ's  Father, 
whose  name  the  citizen  of  the  New  Jerusalem  should 
bear  for  ever,  and  should  be  known  and  recognised 
as  "  fellow-citizen  with  the  saints.''  These  names 
may  be  safely  interpreted  as  importing,  "son,  daugh- 
ter of  the  Lord  Almighty,  citizen  of  Zion,  Christian." 
As  "the  disciples  were  first  called  Christians  at  An- 
tioch,''  so  their  gracious  Master  will  "confess  their 
names  before  his  Father  and  the  holy  angels."  (Acts 
xi.  26;  Rev.  iii.  5.) 

14.  And  unto  the  angel  ('f  the  church  of  the  Laodiceans 
write:  These  things  t-aiih  the  Araen.  the  faithful  and  true 
AVitness,  the  beginning  of  the  creation  of  God; 

15.  1  know  thy  works,  that  thou  art  neither  cold  nor  hot: 
I  would  thou  wert  cold  or  hot. 

16.  So  then,  becau>e  thou  art  lukewarm,  and  neither  cold 
nor  hot,  I  will  spue  thee  out  of  my  mouth. 

17.  Because  thou  sayest,  I  ain  rich,  and  increased  with 
goods,  and  have  need  oif  nothing;  and  knowest  not  that  th'  u 
art  wretched,  and  miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and  nakea. 

18.  1  counsel  thee  to  buy  of  me  gold  tried  in  the  fire,  that 
tliou  mayetst  be  rich:  and  white  raiment,  th&t  thou  maycst  be 
i-lothcd,  and  that  the  f«hame  of  thy  nakednetrs  do  not  appear; 
and  anoint  thine  eyes  with  eye-salve,  that  thou  mayrst  see. 

19.  As  many  as  1  love,  I  rebuke  and  chasten:  be  zea'ous 
thrrefore,  and  ropent. 

20.  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock :  If  any  man  henr 
my  voice,  and  open  the  door,  1  will  come  in  to  him,  and  will 
sup  with  iiim,  and  he  with  me. 

21.  To  him  that  overcumeth  will  I  grant  to  sit  with  me  in 
my  throne,  even  as  1  also  overcame,  and  am  set  down  v^ith 
my  Father  in  his  throne. 

22.  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith 
unto  the  churches. 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  49 

Ys.  14-22. — It  appears  that  in  Paul's  time  a 
Christian  church  had  been  planted  in  Loadicea.  (Col. 
ii.  1;  iv.  16.)  This  church  had  the  benefit  of  his 
ministry  as  well  as  that  of  Ephesus:  and  as  both 
these  churches  were  comparatively  near  to  all  the 
other  five,  we  may  suppose  that  a  man  of  his  zealous, 
active  and  persevering  character  and  habits,  would 
"impart   unto   them  some  spiritual  gift.''  (Rom.  i. 

It  is  evident  that  this  church  had  degenerated 
more  than  all  the  others.  In  her  there  is  nothing  to 
commend.  Her  officers  and  members  are  described 
in  their  real  character  by  him  who  is  the  "Amen, 
the  faithful  and  true  Witness,  the  be'2;innino;  of  the 
creation  of  God."  Each  of  these  titles  speaks  the 
divine  dignity  of  Christ.  They  are  all  to  be  under- 
stood in  an  absolute,  not  in  a  comparative  sense. 
As  "  there  is  none  good  (absolutely  so,)  but  one ;  that 
is,  God,''  Matt.  xix.  17;  so  Christ  only  is  the  "  Amen'' 
in  such  sense  that  he  *' cannot  lie''  as  a  "witness.'' 
He  "speaks  that  which  he  has  seen  with  his  Father." 
(John  viii.  38.)  Jesus  is,  moreover,  the  "  Beginning;" 
the  author,  owner  and  sovereign  ruler  of  "the  crea- 
tion of  God.''  This  is  clearly  taught  in  Col.  i.  15-18, 
where  the  same  person,  who  (in  v.  18)  is  called  "the 
beginning,"  as  here;  is  (in  v.  17,)  said  to  "be  before 
all  things;''  by  whom  (v.  16,)  "were  all  things  cre- 
ated, that  are  in  heaven,  and  that  are  in  earth." — 
Creation  is  a  work  proper  to  God  only.  But  our 
Redeemer  has  "created  all  things."  Now,  according 
to  Heb.  iii.  4,  "he  that  built  all  things  is  God;'' 
therefore  he  of  whom  these  things  are  spoken  is  "  the 
Most  High  God."  And  so  said  the  inspired  prophet 
long  ago,  "For  thy  Maker  is  thine  husband."  (Isa. 
liv.  5.)  In  the  language  of  Jeremiah,  (x.  11,) — thus 
do  we  say  to  Arians,  Socinians,  and  other  self-styled 


50  NOTES    ON 

Unitarians, — "The  ^ods  that  have  not  made  the 
heavens  and  the  earth,  even  they  shall  perish  from 
the  earth,  and  from  under  these  heavens:''  and  their 
blinded  votaries,  "  except  thej  repent,  shall  all  like- 
'wise  perish.'' — However  far  the  body  of  this  church 
had  declined,  it  does  not  appear  that  they  had  yet, 
as  a  community,  gone  the  length  of  ''denying  the  Lord 
that  bought  them.'' 

Spiritual  pride,  self-sufficiency,  seems  to  have  been 
the  prevailing  sin  among  these  degenerate  professors. 
Like  the  Iharisee,  they  would  boast  of  their  riches, 
the  spiritual  gifts  which  they  possessed,  by  which 
they  flattered  themselves  that  "  they  were  not 
as  other  men.''  Possibly  they  might  excel  in  know- 
ledge, that  '* knowledge  which  puffeth  up;''  in  ut- 
terance,— '^  great  swelling  words  of  vanity,"  by  which 
they  gained  both  "filthy  lucre"  and  the  admiration 
of  an  ignorant  and  carnal  multitude.  Such  is  too 
often  the  actual  condition  of  ministers  and  people, 
when  they  are  all  the  while  under  the  power  of  sin, 
and  wholly  "blind''  to  their  spiritual  destitution. 
Self-deception  is  fatal;  and  it  would  be  just  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  to  give  such  persons  up  to  their  own 
hearts'  lusts.  So  he  threatens, — "I  will  spue  thee 
out  of  my  mouth,"  as  a  man's  stomach  loathes  that 
which  is  nauseating.  The  like  figure  is  used  by  Isaiah, 
(Ixv.  5,)  personating  his  Lord  when  describing  similar 
characters: — "These  are  a  smoke  in  my  nose," — 
intolerably  offensive. — To  us  the  case  of  this  church 
would  appear  hopeless.  It  is  not  so,  however:  on 
the  contrary,  he  assures  them  that  these  sharp  rebukes 
proceed  from  love.  "As  many  as  I  love,  I  rebuke 
and  chasten.''  (Heb.  xii.  6-S.)  And  from  the  "coun- 
sel" which  he  gives,  as  farther  evidence  of  his  love, 
we  learn  wherein  this  church  was  lacking, — in  grace, 
justifying  righteousness,  and  the  saving  self  searching 


THE    APtCALYPSE.  51 

illumination  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  As  this  church  had 
not  the  promise  of  exemption  from  the  coming 
"temptation,''  (v.  10,)  the  "gold  tried  in  the  fire" 
of  persecution  will  be  indispensable  to  preserve  any 
from  apostacy,  whereby  their  cloak  of  hypocrisy 
would  be  removed,  and  they  be  exposed  to  "shame." 
—  Christ  "stands  and  knocks.'' — If  the  church  refuses 
him  admittance,  yet  if  but  one  wdll  "hear  his  voice 
and  open  the  door,"  he  will  certainly  communicate 
such  consolations, — the  "joy  of  his  salvation,''  that 
it  may  be  said  they  sup  together.  (Song  v.  1.) 

This,  as  before,  is  the  "hundred-fold,''  promised  in 
this  life,  as  a  foretaste  and  pledge  of  heavenly  feli- 
city.— There  is  added,  a  participation  in  his  honor 
and  authority;  for  those  who  suffer  with  hiui  shall 
also  reign  with  him.  (2  Tim.  ii.  12.)  Whilst  "this 
honour  is  to  all  his  saints,"  it  is  to  be  conferred  upon 
them  by  Christ.  This  assertion  may  seem  to  contra- 
dict what  Christ  said  to  the  mother  of  Zebedee's  sons, 
(xMatt.  XX.  23,) — "to  sit  on  my  right  hand,  and  on 
my  left,  is  not  mine  to  give.'' — No,  it  is  not  his  to 
give, — "but,  except  to  them  for  whom  it  is  prepared 
of  his  Father."  Then  it  is  his  to  give, — his  right. 
Of  the  honor  and  felicity  promised  to  such  as  "fight 
the  good  fight  of  faith,''  none  can  have  an  adequate 
conception  without  actual  experience.  (1  John  iii.  2.) 

GENERAL    OBSERVATIONS. 

Although  the  fundamental  doctrine  of  the  Trinity 
in  Unity  be  not  expressly  taught  or  asserted  in  these 
epistles,  it  is  nevertheless  often  and  plainly  presup- 
posed. Each  epistle  begins  and  closes  with  express 
mention  of  two  divine  persons  as  equally  the  author. 
What  Christ  says,  the  Spirit  says  to  these  churches. 
But  there  is  a  third  divine  person  often  mentioned 
who  is  called  "God,"  and  "Father."    (Ch.  ii.  7,  18, 


62  NOTES    ON 

27,  etc. ;)  and  in  the  first  verse  of  chapter  third,  one 
speaks  who  has  the  seven  Spirits  of  God,''  where  the 
Trinity  is  included.  Thus,  while  in  these  epistles  this 
important  docti'ine  of  the  adorable  Trinity, — a  doc- 
trine which  lies  at  the  very  foundation  of  a  sinner's 
hope,  is  obscurely  revealed,  as  being  clearly  disco- 
vered in  the  preceding  parts  of  the  Holy  Scriptures; 
the  subsequent  part  of  this  book  of  Revelation  is  in- 
tended, among  other  objects,  to  demonstrate  i\\Q  dis- 
tinct subsistence  and  economical  actings  of  the  co-equal 
and  eternal  Three,  in  the  protection  and  salvation  of 
the  church,  and  in  the  control  and  moral  government 
of  the  universe. 

Again,  on  the  groundless  and  chimerical  assump- 
tion of  those  expositors  who  view  these  epistles  as 
prophetical  of  seven  successive  periods  of  the  destiny 
of  the  church  general,  the  last  estate  would  be  worse 
than  the  first, — Laodicea  being  the  worst  of  all.  But 
this  is  obviously  contrary  to  the  description  con- 
tained in  ch.  XX.  ]-lO,  where  the  saints  are  repre- 
sented as  in  possession  and  exercise  of  all  their  pur- 
chased and  social  rights.  Neither  does  authentic 
history  prove  that  the  church  of  Christ  was  more 
prosperous  under  the  "ten  persecutions''  by  the  hea- 
then Roman  emperors  than  in  the  apostolic  age,  as 
the  superior  condition  of  the  church  in  Smyrna  to  that 
of  Ephesus  would  require.  The  very  contrary  is  true; 
and  hence  the  groundlessness  of  such  interpretation, 
however  respectable  the  names  of  its  authors.  The  ob- 
ject of  our  Saviour  in  all  the  instructions,  counsels, 
warnings,  rebukes  and  threatenings  adiressed  to 
these  several  churches  is  doubtless  the  real  benefit  of 
his  people  in  after  generations; — just  as  bis  dealings 
with  the  church  in  Old  Testament  times,  "were 
written  for  our  admonition  and  learning."  (Rom.  xv. 
4;   I  Cor.  x.  11.) 


THE    APOCALYPSE,  53 

Moreover,  some  persons  have  inferred  from  our 
Lord's  treatment  of  these  churches,  a  divine  wmi^ant 
for  the  existence,  and  an  imperative  Christian  duty 
for  the  charitable  recognition,  of  all  the  conflicting 
and  antagonistic  organizations  of  our  time,  popularly 
styled  Christian  churches.  But  as  the  designation, 
''Christian  churches,"  is  in  the  apprehension  of  some 
too  general,  the  term  "evangelical''  is  used  by  them 
as  restrictive  of  the  term  "  Christian.''  Still  the 
question  will  present  itself, — What  constitutes  a 
church  "evangelical?"  And  this  question  is  still 
without  any  definite  answer.  Perhaps  no  two  persons 
would  include  in  one  category  the  same  denomina- 
tions of  professing  Christians.  For  example, — Is  a 
community  to  be  considered  a  Christian  church  in 
which  the  "doctrine  of  Balaam''  is  taught?  Does 
the  law  of  charity  require  the  recognition  of  an  or- 
ganization as  a  Christain  church,  in  which  a  "Jezebel 
would  be  suffered  to  teach,  and  to  seduce  the  servants 
of  Christ?''  Is  that  a  Christian  church  which  denies 
tlie  supreme  deity  of  Christ,  and  rejects  the  seals  of 
the  covenant  of  grace, — the  only  charter  of  the 
Christian  church's  existence  on  earth?  Or  is  that 
combination  to  be  viewed  as  a  Christian  church  which 
has  no  regular  ministry,  but  expressly  rejects  the 
"pastors  and  teachers"  of  Christ's  appointment  and 
the  morality  of  the  sabbath  ?  These,  and  many  other 
questions  of  similar  or  analogous  import,  will  suggest 
negative  answers  to  all  who  fear  God,  respect  his 
authority,  and  are  free  from  the  bewildering  effects 
of  popular  error. 

It  ought  to  be  considered  that  all  these  seven 
churches  were  one  church,  as  originally  constituted, 
having  the  same, — that  is,  a  divine,  scriptural  orga- 
nization. And  although  in  the  divine  forbearance, 
they  were  still  owned  by  Christ,  notwithstanding  the 


54  NOTES    ON 

errors,  heresies  and  immoralities  Avhich  had  crept 
into  them;  yet  it  is  manifest  that  he  threatens  some 
of  them  with  divorce,  total  extinction  in  case  of  im- 
penitence. He  has  indeed  fulfilled  his  awful  threats 
in  making  them  a  desolation.  Is  it  reasonable  to 
suppose  that  he  would  reorganize  these,  or  recognise 
others  which  incorporate  the  same  or  the  like  corrup- 
tions in  doctrine  and  practice  for  tolerating  which 
he  has  "removed  their  candlestick,''  or  ''spued  them 
out  of  his  mouth?''  (Ahsit'hlasphemia.)  To  say  so, 
or  write  so,  does  not  manifest  the  "charity  which  re- 
joiceth  not  in  iniquity,  but  rejoiceth  in  the  truth." 
Alas!  the  present  condition  of  the  church  general 
contains  frequent  evidences,  that  our  Saviour's  af- 
fectionate counsels,  solemn  warnings,  and  awful 
threatenings,  are  neither  duly  pondered  nor  dutifully 
regarded. 


CHAPTER  lY. 

With  this  chapter  the  prophetical  part  of  the  Apo- 
calypse begins.  This  is  the  place  where  the  third 
division  of  the  book  commences,  of  which  intimation 
had  been  given  to  John. — "Write  ....  the  things 
which  shall  be  hereafter."  (Ch.  i.  19.)  The  third  is 
therefore  much  the  largest  part  of  the  whole  book, 
comprising  all  from  the  4th  to  the  22d  ch.  It  is  also 
to  be  noticed  that  the  fourth  and  fifth  chapters  are 
properly  of  the  nature  of  an  introduction  to  what 
follows,  presenting  to  view,  as  it  were,  a  grand  theatre 
on  which  are  to  be  exhibited  the  dramatic  characters 
and  events  which  constitute  the  outline  of  history 
in  the  church  and  the  world  from  the  apostle's  time 
till  the  consummation  of  all  things. 

Expositors  commonly  frame  and  lay  down  some 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  55 

rules  by  which  they  suppose  symbolic  language  in 
general,  and  the  symbols  of  this  book  in  particular, 
maj'  be  interpreted.  On  examination,  however,  it 
will  be  discovered  that  the  learned  are  not  agreed 
either  in  the  nature  or  number  of  such  rules,  and 
sometimes  an  expositor  who  has  exerted  his  ingenuity 
most  in  devising  canons  of  interpretation,  forgets  to 
apply  them. 

All  languages,  whether  spoken  or  written,  are  more 
or  less  metaphorical,  interspersed  with  what  are  called 
figures  of  speech.  It  is  customary  to  represent  na- 
tions and  tribes,  whose  language  abounds  in  symbols, 
as  but  little  advanced  in  civilization;  and  to  view 
oriental  nations  as  more  disposed  to  indulge  in  tropes 
and  figures  than  those  of  the  west;  but  perhaps  this 
relative  estimate  of  the  modes  of  speech  in  the  east- 
ern and  western  hemispheres  will  admit  of  some  mo- 
dification, when  we  consider  the  gesticulations  and 
similes  by  wdiich  the  aborigines  of  America  attempt 
to  give  expression  to  their  ideas.  The  word  Jnero- 
glyphics^  signifying  sacred  sculpture,  derived  from 
the  ancient  mode  of  writing  by  the  priests  of  Egj'pt, 
has  received  conventional  currency  among  the  learned, 
as  descriptive  of  any  writing  which  is  obscure,  "hard 
to  be  understood.''  And  all  who  read  this  book  will 
find  some  of  it  "dark"  indeed.  The  divine  Author 
intended  that  it  should  be  so,  (ch.  xiii.  18;)  yet  ho 
calls  it  emphatically,  a  "Revelation." 

We  have  already  noticed,  that  the  symbols  in  this 
book  are  taken  from  the  ceremonial  law  in  part,  and 
part  are  taken  from  the  works  of  creation.  The 
heavens  and  the  earth  present  to  our  senses  a  variety 
of  material  objects;  some  more,  some  less  calculated 
to  arrest  our  attention.  Among  these,  the  sun,  moon 
and  stars, — earth  and  sea,  mountains  and  rivers,  oc- 
cupy prominent  places.     To  facilitate  our  knowledge 


66  NOTES   ON 

» 

of  these,  and  prompt  reference  to  any  part  of  them, 
we  generalize  or  throw  them  into  groups.  Thus  we 
speak  familiarly  of  the  "solar  system,"  the  "animal, 
vegetable  or  mineral  kingdom.''  Now,  just  transfer 
these  systematized  objects  from  the  material  and  phy- 
sical, to  the  moral  and  spiritual  world.  Then  con- 
sider what  relation  any  one  object  bears  to  the  sys- 
tem, and  what  influence  it  has  upon  the  other  objects 
of  which  it  is  a  part, and  its  import  may  be  generally, 
satisfactorily  and  certainly  ascertained.  Thus  the 
same  canons  or  rules  which  we  apply  in  the  inter- 
pretation of  other  writings,  will  be  equally  available 
in  "searching  the  Scriptures," — never,  never  forget- 
ting that  it  is  the  Spirit  of  Christ  that  "guides  into 
all  truth,''  or  his  own  all-comprehensive  rule  of  in- 
terpretation, "comparing  spiritual  things  with  spi- 
ritual." (1  Cor.  ii.  13.) 

In  order  to  the  right  observance  of  the  divinely 
prescribed  rule,  "comparing  spiritual  things  with 
spiritual,''  we  must  often  refer  to  the  prophecies  of 
the  Old  Testament, — to  the  second  and  seventh  chap- 
ters of  Daniel  in  particular,  because  that  prophet, 
while  the  church  was  captive  under  the  power  of  li- 
teral Babylon,  was  favoured  with  a  discovery  of  the 
purpose  of  God,  that  a  succession  of  imperial  powers 
should  afterwards  arise  to  "  try  the  patience  and  the 
faith  of  the  saints."  As  in  the  case  of  Pharaoh,  so 
in  the  whole  history  of  the  rise,  reign  and  overthrow 
of  succeeding  persecuting  powers,  Jehovah's  design 
was  precisely  the  same, — "to  make  his  power  known, 
and  that  his  name  might  be  declared  throughout  all 
the  earth."  (Ex.  ix.  16;  Rom.  ix.  17.)  In  connexion 
with  this,  he  would  "glorify  the  riches  of  his  grace 
on  the  vessels  of  mercy,  which  he  had  afore  prepared 
unto  glory,''  by  sustaining  them  in  the  furnace  of 
trial. 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  67 

1.  After  this  I  looked,  and,  behold,  a  door  was  opened  in 
heaven:  and  the  first  voice  which  I  heard  was  as  it  were  of  a 
trumpet  talking  with  me;  which  said.  Come  up  hither,  and 
I  will  show  thee  things  which  must  be  hereafter. 

2.  And  immediately  I  w-as  in  the  Spirit;  and,  behold,  a 
throne  was  set  in  heaven,  and  one  sat  on  the  throne. 

3.  And  he  that  sat  was  to  look  upon  like  a  jasper  and  a  sar- 
dine stone:  and  there  was  a  rainbow  round  about  the  throne, 
in  sight  like  unto  an  emerald. 

Verses  1-3. — *' After  these  things,"  contained  in 
the  three  preceding  chapters,  the  glorious  vision  of 
the  mediatorial  person,  and  the  writing  and  sending 
of  the  seven  epistles;  there  seems  to  have  intervened 
a  pause.  While  John  was  in  expectation  of  farther 
discoveries  of  "things  which  were  to  be  thereafter," 
"behold,  a  door  was  opened  in  heaven,''  the  place 
of  Jehovah's  special  residence.  But  as  this  "heaven" 
is  sometimes  the  theatre  of  ^vai\  (ch.  xii.  7,)  of  course 
it  is  not  to  be  taken  literally.  As  a  symbol  it  gene- 
rally signifies  organized  society,  over  which  the  Most 
High  presides.  The  "door  opened''  atfbrded  the 
means  to  John  of  seeing  the  objects  within.  The 
"voice  as  of  a  trumpet,''  which  arrested  his  attention, 
was  that  of  Christ, — the  "voice  of  the  Lord,  full  of 
mojesty.''  (Ps.  xxix.  4;  ch.  i.  10, 11.)  John  was  in 
his  own  apprehension,  like  Paul,  "caught  un  into 
the  third  heaven,''  that  he  might  behold  in  glorious 
succession  "things  which  must  be  hereafter.*'  Why 
must  they  be.'*  bimply  because  such  was  the  "pur- 
pose of  Him  who  worketh  all  things  after  the  counsel 
of  his  own  will;  who  is  wonderful  in  counsel  and  ex- 
cellent in  working;  whose  counsel  stands,  and  who 
doeth  all  his  pleasure."  (Eph.  i.  11.)  Can  a  rational 
creature  work  without  a  plan.'*  And  shall  mortal 
man  be  more  rational  than  his  Maker.''  The  objects 
which  were  presented  to  John  are  not  to  be  under- 
stood as  material  objects.  It  was  requisite  that  he 
should  be  "in  the  k^pirit,''  before  he  could  see  them. 


58  NOTES    ON 

The  exercise  of  his  bodily  senses,  the  organs  of  sen- 
sation, must  be  suspended,  that  he  might  have  a  per- 
ception of  the  objects  presented  in  vision.     As  the 
"spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect''  in  glory,  in  a 
disembodied  state,  are  still  conscious  and  active;  so 
are  we  warranted  to  conceive  of  souls  yet  in  the  body 
as  being  in  a  state  analagous, — falling  into  a  trance. 
(Acts  X.  10.)   The  first  object  seen    by  John  was  a 
"throne  set  in  heaven,''  the  emblem  of  sovereignty. 
*'One  sat  on  the  throne,'''  who  cannot  be  described, 
only  in  an   obscure   manner   by  comparison,  being 
**the  invisible  God,  whom  no  eye  hath  seen,  nor  can 
see.''     Yet  we  know  with  certainty  it  is  the  person 
of  the  Father,   because   he  is  in    the  next   chapter 
plainly  distinguished  from  "the  Lamb."     Seated  on 
the  throne, — and  "in  the  throne  he  is  greater  than 
the   Mediator.''     A   relation    between    these   divine 
persons  was  shadowed  forth  in  Egj^pt  between   Pha- 
raoh and  Joseph.  (Gen.  xli.  40.)  Occupying  the  throne 
of  the  universe,  the  Father  sustains  the  majesty  of 
the  Godhead,  and  represents  the  persons  of  the  ado- 
rable Trinity;  for  the  idea  is   equally  unscriptural 
and  absurd,  that  either  person  appears  or  acts  {ad 
extra)  in  absolute  or  essential  character.   (Is.  xlii.  1; 
John  X.  18;  xiv.  31.)     He  that  "sat,  was  ....  like 
a  jasper  and  a  sardine  stone," — not  like  any  human 
form,  but  in  allusion,  perhaps,  to  the  Shekinah  or 
visible  glory  above  the  mercy-seat  in  the  most  holy 
place,  he  appeared  in  the  essential  purity  or  holiness 
of  his  nature  and  awful  justice, — one   "who  will  by 
no  means  clear  the  guilty."     The  rainbow  is  the  fa- 
miliar emblem  or  "token  of  the  covenant.''    Its  being 
"round  about  the  throne"  teaches  us,  that  God  "in 
wrath  remembers  mercy.''     As  "green''  is  the  color 
most  pleasing  to  the  natural  eye,  so  is  the  rainbow 
of  covenant  mercy  most  grateful  to  the  penitent  sin- 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  59 

ner,  contemplated  by  the  eye  of  faith.    God  is  "  ever 
mindful  of  his  covenant.''  (Ps.  cxi.  5.) 

Ever  since  the  revelation  of  mercy  to  fallen  man, 
God  deals  with  mankind,  not  in  essential  or  absolute 
character,  but  by  covenant  in  economical  standing. 
All  along  since  that  epoch  in  the  history  of  this  world, 
"the  Father  judgeth  no  man,  but  hath  committed 
all  judgment  unto  the  Son."  As  yet,  however,  the 
Son  is  not  brought  upon  the  stage  in  the  apostle's 
present  view.  The  Son  has  his  appropriate  place  in 
the  vision,  where  he  will  appear  as  Mediator.  In 
the  conflict  to  be  carried  on  for  twelve  hundred  and 
sixty  years  by  the  combined  powers  of  earth  and  hell 
"against  the  Lord  and  his  Anointed,"  w^e  have  the 
agencies  exhibited  in  these  two  chapters  only  on 
heaven\3  side.  The  opposing  hosts  will  afterwards 
appear. 

4.  And  round  about  the  tlirone  were  four  and  twenty  seats; 
and  upon  the  seats  I  saw  four  and  twenty  elders  sitting, 
clothed  in  white  raiment;  and  they  had  on  their  heads  crowns 
of  gold. 

5.  And  out  of  the  throne  proceeded  lightnings,  and  thun- 
derings,  and  voices:  and  there  were  seven  lamps  of  fire  burn- 
ing before  the  throne,  which  are  the  seven  spirits  of  God. 

Verses  4,  6. — To  John's  view,  the  "throne"  seen 
from  one  side  would  appear  to  be  surrounded  by  a 
segment  of  a  circle,  Avithin  which  were  *'four  and 
twenty  seats,''  (thrones,)  occupied  by  an  equal  num- 
ber of  "elders.''  In  society  divinely  organized  "el- 
ders'' have  always  been  the  legal  representatives  of 
God's  covenant  society  in  civil  and  ecclesiastical  re- 
lations. (Exod.  iii.  16;  Acts  xx.  17.)  These  "four 
and  twenty  elders"  represent  the  collective  body  of 
God's  people  under  the  Old  and  New  Testaments, — 
the  "twelve  tribes  of  Israel''  and  the  "twelve  apos- 
tles.'' (ch.  vii.4;  xxi.  12-14.)  Their  "white raiment'' 
and  "crowns  of  gold''  indicate  their  legal  state  and 


60  NOTES   ON 

moral  purity, — their  justification  and  sanctification, 
as  also  their  promotion  to  honour,  to  "  reign  as  kings." 
(ch.  i.  6;  V.  10.)  \^^ reign  on  the  earth,^^  ch.  xx.  4.] 
Allusion  is  had  to  the  terrific  scene  at  Sinai  by  the 
*' lightnings,"  etc.,  when  "Moses  did  exceedingly 
fear  and  quake,''  importing  that  God,  ''our  God,  is 
a  consuming  fire''  to  all  his  impenitent,  especially 
antichristian,  enemies,  even  under  the  milder  econo- 
my of  the  New  Testament.  (Heb.  x.  28-31;  ch.  xx. 
10.)  The  "  seven  lamps  of  fire ''  are  explained  to  mean 
"the  seven  spirits  of  God,"  in  allusion  to  the  golden 
candlestick  in  the  temple,  (Exod.  xxxvii.  23;  Zech. 
iv.  2,)  and  signifying  the  gifts  and  graces  of  those 
who  are  "baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with 
fire." 

6.  And  before  the  throne  there  was  a  sea  of  glass  like  unto 
crystal;  and  in  the  midst  of  the  throne,  and  round  about  the 
throne,  were  four  beasts  full  of  eyes  before  and  behind. 

7.  And  the  first  beast  was  like  a  lion,  and  the  second  beast 
like  a  calf,  and  the  third  beast  had  a  face  as  a  man,  and  the 
fourth  beast  was  like  a  flying  eagle. 

8.  And  the  four  beasts  had  each  of  them  six  wings  about 
him;  and  they  were  full  of  eyes  within:  and  they  rest  not 
day  and  night,  saying,  Holy ,  holy,  holy,  Lord  God  Almighty, 
which  was,  and  is,  and  is  to  come. 

9.  And  when  those  beasts  give  glory,  and  honor,  and  thanks, 
to  him  that  sat  on  the  throne,  who  liveth  for  ever  and  ever, 

10.  The  four  and  twenty  elders  fall  down  before  him  that 
sat  on  the  throne,  and  worship  him  that  liveth  for  ever  and 
ever,  and  cast  their  crowns  before  the  throne,  saying, 

11.  Thou  art  worthy,  O  Lord,  to  receive  glory,  and  honour, 
and  power;  for  thou  hast  created  all  things,  and  for  thy  plea- 
sure they  are  and  were  created. 

Vs.  6-11. — The  "sea  of  glass  before  the  throne'' 
is  a  symbol  taken  from  the  "brazen  sea''  in  the  tem- 
ple, in  which  priests  and  victims  were  to  be  washed. 
(Exod.  XXX.  18;  1  Kings  vii.  23.)  This  sea  represents 
the  same  thing  as  the  "fountain  opened,"  (Zech.  xiii. 
1,)  which  denotes  the  atoning  and  cleansing  blood 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  CI 

of  Christ.  (Ch.  vii.  14.)  All  who  offer  "spiritual  sa- 
crifices, acceptable  to  God,''  must  first  be  washed; 
for  the  "Lord  had  respect  to  Abel"  first,  and  then 
to  his  "  offering,''  (Gen.  iv.  4.) — Next,  John  saw  "four 
beasts.''  The  translation  here  is  faulty,  as  noticed 
by  many  expositors.  Different  words  in  the  original 
Greek, — not  only  different,  but  in  some  respects  op- 
posite in  signification,  ought  not  to  be  rendered  by 
the  same  English  word;  for  this  tends  to  mislead  the 
unlearned  leader.  He  is  thus  bewildered  instead  of 
being  enlightened.  There  are  several  beasts  besides 
these,  introduced  as  instructive  symbols  in  this  book. 
Two  are  mentioned  in  ch.  xiii.  1,  11,  altogether  dif- 
ferent from  these, — so  different  as  to  be  antagonistic. 
Instead  of  "beasts,''  they  should  have  been  called 
"animals"  or  "living  beings;''  for  even  the  phrase 
"living  creatures'"*  hardly  covers  or  conveys  the 
whole  import  of  the  Greek  word.  The  position  of 
these  "four  animals''  is  worthy  of  special  notice: — 
"in  the  midst  of  the  throne,  and  round  about  the 
throne.''  How  can  this  be?  Well,  if  the  "seats'' 
and  the  "eiders"  occupying  them  are  "round  about 
the  throne,"  in  a  segment  of  a  circle,  as  viewed  by 
John,  then  it  will  be  readily  perceived  that  the  "ani- 
mals" seen  from  the  same  quarter  would  appear  to 
him  as  occupying  a  space  forming  a  smaller  segment 
of  a  circle  between  the  elders  and  the  throne.  Thus 
we  have  the  relative  positions,  {a)  the  throne,  (5)  the 
"four  animals''  next  to  the  throne,  and  lastly,  (c) 
the  "four  and  twenty  elders."  The  places  occupied 
by  these  several  parties  are  pregnant  with  scriptural 
instruction,  as  may  appear  when  we  come  to  the  lat- 
ter part  of  ch.  6. 

In  the  mean  time,  what  do  these  "four  animals" 
represent?    Not  the  adorable  Trinity,  as  some  learned 
men  have  imagined;  nor  holy  angels,  as  more  learned 
5 


62  NOTES   ON 

men  have  supposed  and  laboured  to  prove.  These 
''animals''  are  worshippers;  (v.  8,)  therefore  they 
are  not  the  Object  of  worship.  They  are  culpably 
blind  who  mistake  the  creature  for  the  Creator. 
(Rom.  i.  25.)  Other  expositors  have  attempted,  with 
greater  plausibility,  but  no  better  success,  to  prove 
these  animals  to  be  symbolical  of  angels.  For  this 
purpose,  reference  has  been  made  to  Isaiah's  vision 
of  the  serapJwns,  (ch.  vi.  2,)  and  also  to  the  '*four 
living  creatures"  which  appeared  in  vision  to  Ezekiel, 
(i.  5-10.)  The  identity  of  John's  "animals'"  and 
Ezekiel's  "living  creatures"  is  argued  especially 
from  their  number,  "four,''  and  their  *' faces"  being 
the  same.  To  the  thoughtful  and  unbiased  reader 
it  is  sufficient  to  reply, — that  John's  "animals''  ac- 
knowledge themselves  to  have  been  redeemed  by  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb,  (ch.  v.  8,  9,)  an  expression  which 
is  inapplicable  to  angels.  As  the  "four  and  twenty 
elders"  and  the  "four  animals''  comprise  the  whole 
company  of  the  redeemed,  as  distinguished  from  the 
higher  and  lower  orders  of  God's  worshippers,  (ch. 
V.  8-14,)  and  as  the  "elders''  represent  the  whole 
church,  it  wouUl  seem  to  be  reasonable  to  suppose, 
that  these  "animals"  are  the  symbols  of  the  gospel 
ministry.  And  to  this  agree  their  functions  as  ex- 
ercised in  the  farther  developments  of  this  book,  as 
we  shall  see. 

One  plausible  objection  to  this  interpretation  is 
grounded  on  the  fact  that  their  "faces"  are  the  same 
as  those  of  Ezekiel's  angels, — "of  an  ox,  or  young 
calf,  of  a  lion,  of  a  man,  and  of  an  eagle.''  But 
each  of  the  "cherubims''  had  "four  faces"  whereas 
these  "animals"  have  but  onehcQ  each.  Nor  ought 
it  to  be  thought  incongruous  that  faithful  ministers 
are  represented  as  possessing  some  of  the  properties 
of  holy  angels,  when  we  find  them  called  by  the  same 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  63 

name:  (ch.  i.  20;)  and  also,  when  we  find  the  Master 
directing  them  to  imitate  and  emulate  holy  angels  in 
their  services.  (Matt.  vi.  10;  Ps.  ciii.  20,  21.)  These 
"animals,"  emblematical  of  the  gospel  ministry,  are 
in  number  "four,"  answerable  to  the  universality  of 
their  mission  into  the  four  quarters  of  the  earth, — • 
"all  the  world."  (Matt,  xxviii.  19;  Mark,  xvi.  15.) 
So  the  "four  winds,"  (ch.  vii.  1,)  mean  all  winds. 
As  the  "lion,  which  is  the  strongest  among  beasts, 
and  turneth  not  away  for  any,"  is  distinguished  for 
courage  and  magnanimity;  so,  as  a  symbol,  it  re- 
presents a  ministry  of  courageous  and  heroic  spirit. 
Luther  in  continental,  and  Knox  in  insular  Europe, 
may  be  named  as  displaying  this  prominent  feature  of 
ministerial  character.  The  "calf"  or  young  ox,  sym- 
bolizes "patient  continuance  in  well-doing"  amidst 
trials,  such  as  "cruel  raockings,"  etc.  The  "face 
as  a  man'"'  indicates  sagacity,  "Christian  prudence,'' 
together  with  active  sympathy.  The  "flying  eagle" 
is  emblematical  of  penetration  and  discrimination, — 
"ability  to  teach  others,''  from  a  spiritual  insight 
into  the  divine  character  and  purposes, — an  experi- 
mental acquaintance  with  "the  God  of  glory."  All 
these  properties  are  not  to  be  suj)posed  ordinarily 
in  any  one  minister,  but  as  distributed  among  the 
ministry  at  large, — "according  to  the  measure  of 
the  gift  of  Christ,"— the  Holy  Spirit  "dividing  to 
every  man  severally  as  he  will.''  (Eph.  iv.  7;  1  Cor. 
xii.  11.)  It  may  be  remarked,  that  in  some  cases 
all  these  properties  may  be  discerned  in  great  mea- 
sure in  the  same  individual.  In  the  gifts  and  grace 
of  the  apostle  Paul,  may  be  discovered  the  boldness 
of  the  lion,  the  patience  of  the  ox,  the  compassion  of 
the  man,  and  the  soaring  flight  of  the  eagle.  Oar 
covenant  God  endows  his  servants  for  the  service  to 
which  he  calls  them,  always  making  good  the  pro- 
niiie, — "As  thy  days,  so  shall  thy  strength  be." 


61  NOTES    ON 

The  "six  wings,"  of  course,  are  expressive  of  the 
activity  of  the  niiriistrj, — "in  season,  out  of  season," 
emulating  the  heavenly  seraphims  in  serving  the  same 
Lord.  They  were  "full  of  eyes  before,  behind,  with- 
in.'' They  are  to  "take  heed  to  themselves,  and  to 
the  ministry  which  they  have  received  in  the  Lord, 
that  they  fulfil  it."  (Col.  iv.  17;  1  Tim.  iv.  16.) 
They  are  to  regard  the  operation  of  God's  hand  in 
providence,  so  as  to  "  have  understanding  of  the  times, 
and  know  what  Israel  ought  to  do.''  (1  Chron.  xii. 
'62.)  They  are  to  "try  the  spirits  whether  they  are 
of  God;"  and  "after  the  first  and  second  admonition, 
to  reject  heretics.''  (Tit.  iii.  10.)  They  are  to  "over- 
see the  flock,''  (Acts  xx.  28;)  and  to  "watch  for 
souls,  as  they  that  must  give  account''  to  the  Mas- 
ter. (Heb.  xiii.  17.)  And  we  may  say  with  Paul, — 
"Who  is  sufficient  for  these  things?  Modern  pre- 
lates, who  arrogate  to  themselves  the  exclusive  use 
of  the  Scriptural  oflicial  name  "bishop,"  generally 
manifest  that  they  are  onl^  bishops,  (two-eyed)  and 
not  the  many-eyed  servants  of  Christ,  symbolized  by 
the  "four  animals''  of  our  text,  or  the  "overseeing 
elders'*''  charged  at  Miletus  by  the  apostle  Paul.  (Acts 
XX.  17.)  "  While  these  men  slept,  the  enemy  sowed 
tares.'' — In  direct  acts  of  worship,  these  "animals,'' — 
the  ministers,  take  the  lead,  answerable  to  another 
official  name, — "guides,  in  things  pertaining  to  God. 
(Heb.  xiii.  7;  [Greek]  v.  1.)  They  are,  as  well  ex- 
pressed by  another  phrase,  the  "sworn  expounders  of 
God's  word,''  and  authoritative  rulers  in  in  his  house. 
Destitute  of  legislative  power,  which  in  ecclesiastical 
affiiirs  pertains  to  Christ  alone ;  they  are  the  authorized 
administrators  of  all  the  laws  by  which  his  household 
is  to  be  governed.  (Heb.  xiii.  7,  17.) — The  language 
of  adoration  here  is  the  same  uttered  by  the  sera- 
phim. (Isa.  vi.  3)     The  "holiness''  of  God  is  that 


THE   ArOCALYPSB.  C5 

aspect  of  his  adorable  character  which  is  most  attrac- 
tive to  holy  angels  and  redeemed  sinners,  being  the 
principal  feature  of  the  divine  image  refiected  by 
themselves.  (Matt.  xxv.  31;  Jude  14;  1  John  iii.  2.) 
The  glorious  Being  seen  by  John,  as  sitting  on  a 
throne,  is  the  same  who  was  seen  by  Isaiah,  (vi.  1 ;) 
and  precisely  in  the  same  attitude;  but  called  by 
different  names.  By  Isaiah  he  is  denorainited  *'the 
Lord  of  Hosts,"— by  John,  "  the  Lord  God  Almighty.' 
The  context  proves, — especially  ch.  v.  1 ;  that  John 
in  vision  contemplated  God  in  the  person  of  the  Fa- 
ther; whereas  we  are  assured,  in  John  xii.  41,  that 
Isaiah  saw  him  in  t\\Q  person  of  the  Son.  Thus  we 
may  understand  our  Lord's  words  addressed  to  Philip, 
(John  xiv.  9.)  "  He  that  hath  seen  me  hath  seen  the 
Father."  (See  Heb.  i.  3;  Col.  i.  15.) 

Lerl  by  the  ''four  animals," — the  ministry  of  re- 
conciliation; the  "four  and  twenty  elders,"  repre- 
senting all  the  redeemed  of  mankind,  "fall  down  be- 
fore him  that  sat  on  the  throne"  in  prostrate  adora- 
tion of  that  glorious  Being  whose  "eternal  power 
and  Godhead"  are  demonstrated  in  the  volume  of 
creation.  We  are  thus  taught  that  motives  to  ac- 
ceptable worship  of  God  are  'primarily  to  be  found 
in  the  perfections  of  his  nature  as  our  beneficent 
Creator, — perfections  possessed  by  him  in  essential 
character,  independently  of  all  his  works  of  creation 
and  redemption.  His  "worthiness"  of  worship  is 
inherent  in  himself,  but  outwardly  manifested  to  in- 
telligent creatures  by  the  work  of  creation,  of  which 
he  is  the  first  Cause  and  the  last  End, — the  efficient 
and  final  Cause.  This  doctrine,  understood  by  the 
intellect  and  unbraced  in  the  heart,  would  greatly 
tend  to  *'hide  pride  from  man.''  (Job  xxxiii.  17.) 
Aside  from  the  doctrine  of  the  ."  cross,"  which  is  still 


66  NOTES    ON 

counted  *' foolishness''  bj  our  modern  self-styled 
''philosophers,  psj^colo^ists  and  freethinkers;''  there 
is  enough  here  revealed  of  this  eternal  One  to  hum- 
ble the  "proud  looks  and  haughty  hearts''  of  these 
"enemies  of  the  King."  Without  repentance,  "he 
that  made  them  will  not  have  mercy  on  them;  and 
he  that  formed  them  will  show  them  no  favour;"  for 
notwithstanding  their  pride  of  superior  intellect,  he 
whose  judgment  is  according  to  truth,  has  pronounced 
them  a  "people  of  no  understanding."  (Isa.  xxvii. 
11.)  It  is  no  disparagement  to  those  in  places  of 
highest  earthly  dignity,  as  David;  nor  to  the  wisest 
of  all  men,  as  Solomon:  to  "cast  their  crowns  be- 
fore the  throne"  of  this  only  universal  Monarch; 
saying,  "Thou  art  worthy,  0  Lord,  to  receive  glory 
and  honor  and  power;  for  thou  hast  created  all  things, 
and  for  thy  pleasure  they  are  and  were  created;'' 
"and  let  the  whole  earth  be  filled  with  his  glory." 
(Ps.  Ixxii.  19.) 


CHAPTER  VI. 

1.  And  I  saw  in  the  right  hand  of  him  that  sat  on  the  throne 
a  book  written  within  and  on  the  backside,  sealed  with  seven 
seals. 

Verse  1.— -The  dividing  of  the  books  of  Scripture 
into  chapers  and  verses  is  not  by  inspiration. 
Fallible  men  have  used  their  discretion  in  this 
respect,  as  they  still  do,  by  parceling  chapters  into 
sections,  paragraphs,  &c.  And  so,  although  we  have 
passed  to  another  chapter,  the  vision  is  the  same. 
The  inspired  penman  had  looked  upon  the  great 
King  surrounded  by  part  of  his  retinue.  In  earnest 
expectation  of  farther  discoveries,  he  beheld  "in  the 
right  hand  of  him  that  sat  on  the  throne  a  book 


THE   APOCALYPSE^  67 

■written  within  and  on  the  back  side,"  (or  outside,  as 
in  Some  copies.)  The  book  was  "sealed  with  seven 
seals.".  This  volume  was  in  the  form  of  a  roll,  as 
the  word  volume  signifies.  The  form  of  a  book  is 
determined  by  the  kind  of  material  on  which  one 
writes.  This  has  consisted  of  great  variety  in  the 
successive  ages  of  the  world.  The  first  of  which  we 
have  any  notice  in  history  is  stone.  When  Job,  in 
his  afiliction,  w^as  sustained  by  faith  in  the  promised 
Redeemer;  and  when  he  would  emphasize  and 
transmit  an  expression  of  that  faith  to  future  gener- 
ations; he  thought  of  the  nearest  expedient  familiar 
to  his  mind: — "Oh  that  my  words  were  now  written 
.  ,  .,  that  they  were  graven  with  an  iron  pen  .  .  .  , 
in  the  rock  forever,"  (Job  xix.  23,  24.)  On  the 
same  material  the  law  was  written  at  Horeb,  (Exod. 
xxiv^.  12.)  No  doubt  this  was  the  usual  method  of 
recording  events  in  Egypt  in  the  time  of  Joseph,  as 
the  word  "hieroglyphics"  or  sacred  sculpture,  appears 
to  imply.  Next,  it  appears  that  the  inside  bark  of 
trees  was  used  for  this  purpose,  as  of  birch,  which 
has  a  natural  tendency  to  curl  or  roll  together  w^hen 
dry.  Hence  the  word  library,  and  volume,  or  rolled 
hark.  The  royal  archives,  or  "house  of  the  rolls," 
is  thus  explained,  (Ezra.  vi.  1.)  "Vellum,"  or  dressed 
skins  of  beasts,  appears  to  have  been  next  used; 
then  linen  and  cotton;  and  as  now  put  through  a 
chemical  process,  these  are  the  material  in  most 
common  use  at  the  present  day.  Thus  contemplating 
the  symbol  in  the  text,  we  may  trace  in  our  thou2:hts 
the  gradual  advancement  of  this  department  of  sci- 
ence and  the  mechanic  arts.  The  second  stage  of 
progress  had  been  reached  in  John's  time,  from  stone 
to  the  bark  of  timber.  The  "  book  "  appears  to  have 
been  of  cylindrical  form,  but  whether  in  one  piece 
or  in  seven  separate  pieces,  revolving  on  a  common 


68  NOTES   ON 

axis,  it  is  not  easy  nor  perhaps  important  to  deter- 
mine. It  is  of  much  greater  importance  to  know 
that  the  "book"  is  emblematical  of  the  decrees  of 
God.  This  will  appear  by  comparing  Psalm  xl.  7, 
where  we  find  the  same  symbol  employed  to  represent 
the  record  of  covenant  agreement  or  stipulation 
between  the  Father  and  the  Son,  and  to  which  our 
Saviour  appeals  as  evidence  in  his  case.  (Heb.  x.  7.) 
While  the  symbol  may  be  safely  considered  as 
involving  all  the  purposes  of  God;  it  signifies  here 
more  especially  the  following  part  of  the  Apocalypse, 
containing,  as  it  were,  a  transcript  from  the  great 
original. — *' Seals"  are  for  security  and  secrecy. 
Both  may  be  included  in  the  case.  And  indeed 
their  being  "seven"  in  number — a  number  of  per- 
fection, would  seem  to  confirm  this  two-fold  meaning. 
The  sealed  book,  symbolical  of  the  decrees  of  God, 
comprehending  all  events  of  all  time,  teaches  us  the 
doctrine  expressed  in  plain  words  thus: — "Known 
unto  God  are  all  his  works  from  the  beginning  of  the 
world,"  (Acts  XV.  18.)  The  complex  symbol  also 
teaches  more  forcibly  than  in  words, — "My  counsel 
shall  stand,  and  I  will  do  all  my  pleasure,"  (Is, 
xlvi.  10.)  Some  have  suggested  a  little  change  in 
the  punctuation.  Instead  of  placing  the  comma 
after  the  word  "side,"  place  it  after  the  word 
"within,"  the  meaning  would  then  be,  that  the  "book 
was  written  only  on  one  side,  namely  on  the  side 
within.''  We  do  not  accept  the  suggestion.  The 
reason  is  sufficient  for  its  rejection,  that  the  material 
in  the  time  of  the  apostle,  was  too  costly  to  leave 
one-half  of  it  blank;  and  here  our  divine  Lord 
"speaks  to  us  of  heavenly  things"  through  the 
medium  of  earthly  things  with  which  we  are  familiar. 

2.  And  I  saw  a  strong  angel  proclaiming  with  a  loud  voice, 
Who  is  worthy  to  open  the  book,  and  to  loose  the  seals  thereof? 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  69 

3.  And  no  man  in  heaven,  nor  in  earth,  neither  under  the 
earth,  was  able  to  open  the  book,  neither  to  look  thereon. 

Vs  2-3. — Proclamation  is  made  bj  a  "strong 
angel,"  the  Almighty  Monarch's  herald  to  the 
universe,  challenging  all  cre^itares  to  the  task  of 
opening  the  seals.  His  "loud  voice"  reverberates 
thoaghout  illimitable  space,  that  all  concerned  might 
hear.  The  challenge  is  not,  "who  is  ahlef  but, 
"who  is  worthy  f' — Who  is  "worthy,"  by  personal 
dignity,  or  distinguished  and  meritorious  services, 
"to  open  the  book  and  to  loose  the  seals  thereof?" 
No  response  comes  from  any  quarter  to  break  the 
solemn  silence.  The  whole  creation  is  mute. 
"Who  hath  known  the  mind  of  the  Lord?  or  who 
hath  been  his  counsellor?"  "0  the  depth  of  the 
riches  both  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God! 
How  unsearchable  are  his  judgments  and  his  ways 
past  finding  out!"  (Rom.  xi.  33,  34.) — "And  no  man 
in  heaven,"  &c.  The  word  "man"  is  in  this  place, 
as  in  many  others,  an  imperfect  and  inadequate 
supplement.  In  some  places  it  is  calculated  to 
mislead  the  "unlearned  and  unstable,"  as  John  x. 
28,  29,  (in  some  copies,)  Heb.  ii.  9.  The  former 
text,  as  supplemented  by  the  word  "man,"  contra- 
dicts the  apostle,  Rom.  viii.  39.  The  meaning  here 
is  obviously  that  no  creature^ — angel  or  man,  was 
worthy  or  "able"  to  ''open  the  book."  To  holy 
angels,  devils,  and  the  dead  "under  the  earth,"  the 
purposes  of  God  are  as  inscrutable  as  thev  are  to  us, 
until  they  are  revealed.     (Eph,  iii.  10;  1  Pet.  i.  12.) 

4.  And  I  wept  much,  because  no  man  was  found  worthy  to 
open  and  to  read  the  book,  neither  to  look  thereon. 

V.  4. — John  understood  by  the  symbol  which  he 
saw,  that  its  contents  were  of  deep  significance.  A 
sanctified  curiosity  and  anxiety,  more  powerful  than 
that  of  the  Ethiopian  eunuch,  (Acts  viii.  34,)  occupied 


70  NOTES   ON 

his  soul.  But  the  book  is  sealed  and  there  is  no 
visible  interpreter!  (Is.  xxix.  11.)  The  "beloved 
disciple"  is  much  affected.  He  has  more  than  once 
or  twice  "beheld  the  glory  of  God,"  and  cannot  but 
earnestly  desire  to  know  more  of  his  mind.  "Hope 
deferred  maketh  his  heart  sick."  He  "wept  much." 
His  covenant  God  "has  seen  his  tears."  He  "will 
heal  him,"  (2  Kings  xx.  5.) 

6.  And  one  of  the  elders  saith  unto  me,  Weep  not:  behold, 
the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Juda,  the  Koot  of  David,  hath  prevailed 
to  open  the  book,  and  to  loose  the  seven  seals  thereof 

Y.  5. — From  a  quite  unexpected  quarter  comes  a 
hint!  How  could  John  anticipate  relief  from  such  a 
source?  "One  of  the  elders"  is  made  the  messenger 
of  joyful  tidings.  As  Aquila  and  Priscilla  took  to 
them  the  eloquent  ApoUos,  and  *' expounded  unto 
him  the  way  of  God  more  perfectly,"  (Acts  xviii.  26,) 
so  one  of  the  elders — one  of  the  humble  disciples 
was  the  instrument  of  comfortable  instruction  to  the 
aged  apostle!  The  prophet  Daniel  was  similarly 
affected  by  a  partial  exhibition  of  the  same  important 
events;  but  his  anxiety  to  know  the  meaning  of  the 
vision,  though  allayed,  was  not  fully  gratified,  as  that 
of  John.  (Dan.  xii.  8,  9,)  "Go  thy  way,  Daniel,  for 
the  words  are  closed  up  and  sealed."  The  desire  of 
the  best  of  God's  people  to  know  his  purposes  may 
be  sometimes  excessive,  as  exemplified  by  the 
disciples  of  Christ,  (Acts  i.  7.)  "It  is  not  for  them 
to  know  the  times  and  the  seasons  which  the  Father 
hath  put  in  his  own  power."  So  much,  however,  is 
revealed  as  may  be  necessary  to  their  present  support 
and  comfort;  and  the  rest  they  "shall  know  hereafter," 
(John  xiii.  7.)  But  as  the  events  involved  in  the  secret 
purpose  of  God,  were  concealed  from  Daniel ;  because 
not  to  be  evolved  till  near  "the  time  of  the  end:"  so 
in  John^s  time,  when  as  in  Abraham's  case,  "the  time 
of  the  promise  drew  nigh" — the  time  was  approaching 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  71 

when  the  interests  of  God's  people  would  be  greatly 
affected  by  these  events;  it  became  needful  that  the 
book,shouldbe  unsealed  and  its  contents  made  known. 
*'The  time  was  at  hand."  Accordingly,  John  is 
exhorted  by  the  elder  to  dry  up  his  tears,  for  to  the 
unspeakable  joy  of  himself  and  of  the  whole  creation, 
the  announcement  is  made, — "Behold,  the  Lion  of 
the  tribe  of  Judah,  the  Root  of  David,  hath  prevailed 
to  open  the  book,  and  to  loose  the  seven  seals  thereof." 
Here  our  attention  is  called  away  back  to  the  famous 
prophecy  of  dying  Jacob,  (Gen.  xlix.  9,  10,)  and  also 
to  the  subsequent  and  concurrent  declaration  of  the 
evangelical  prophet,  (Isa.  xi.  1,  10.)  Christ  is  the 
"Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah"  in  reference  to  his 
human  nature;  "for  it  is  evident,"  from  the  inspired 
tables  of  his  geneology,  "that  our  Lord  sprang  out 
of  Judah,"  (Heb.  vii.  14;)  and  it  is  no  less  evident 
that  he  is  the  Root  of  David,  in  respect  to  his  divine 
nature,  (John  i.  1,  3;  Isa.  ix.  6;  1  Cor.  xv.  47.) 
The  "one  Mediator  between  God  and  men,"  partak- 
ing of  the  nature  of  each  party,  is  "worthy" — alone 
worthy,  by  reason  of  personal  dignity,  to  "open  the 
book."  It  is  also  to  be  noticed  that  worthiness  is 
not  his  only  qualification.  In  view  of  the  challenge 
published, — "who  is  worthy?"  the  answer  is,  this 
champion  "hath  'prevailed !'' — Isaiah  saw  him  in 
vision,  victorious  over  enemies — "travelling  in  the 
greatness  of  his  strength,"  (Isa.  Ixiii.  1.)  To  his 
personal  worthiness  is  to  be  added  the  unrivalled 
merit  of  his  achievements  in  conflict  with  hostile 
powers,  (Gen.  iii.  15;  Isa.  liii.  12;   Col.  ii.  15.) 

6.  And  I  beheld,  and,  lo,  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  and 
of  the  four  beasts,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  elders,  stood  a  Lamb 
as  it  had  been  slain,  having  seven  horns  and  seven  eyes, 
which  are  the  seven  Spirits  of  God  sent  forth  into  all  the 
earth. 

V.  6. — In  this  verse  we  have  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 


72  NOTES   ON 

introducec)  to  the  view  of  John  and  the  intelligent 
universe  in  his  sacerdotal  or  priestly  office,  "a  lamb, 
as  it  had  been  slain.''  In  the  order  of  nature  and 
of  merit,  his  priestly  office  precedes  his  prophetical 
and  kingly  offices.  This  is  evident  from  the  position 
which  he  occupies  in  relation  to  the  throne  and  royal 
retinue.  He  stands  in  the  attitude  of  a  priest  "in 
the  midst  of  the  throne  and  of  the  four  animals,''  etc. 
As  seen  here,  our  Saviour  does  not  sit  on  the  throne. 
He  appeared  in  a  standing  posture.  His  position 
was  obviously  before  the  throne.  As  the  priestly 
function  required,  he  stood  nearest  to  the  object  of 
worship,  between  the  ministers  and  the  throne, — in 
the  inmost  circle.  There  he  exhibited  the  scars  re- 
ceived in  w^ar;  the  wounds  made  by  the  sword  of 
divine  justice;  (Zech.  xiii.  7;)  the  holes  in  his  hands 
and  side  by  the  nails  and  soldier's  spear.  (John  xix. 
3-t;  XX.  2o.)  This  "Lamb  slain," — typified  by  all 
the  spotless  lambs  offered  in  sacrifice  by  divine  ap- 
pointment from  the  time  of  Abel,  had  been  marvel- 
lously restored  to  life,  as  no  other  victim  had  ever 
been.  (John  x.  18  ;  ch.  i.  18.)  The  "seven  horns 
and  seven  eyes,"  symbolize  the  power  and  wisdom  of 
the  Mediator.  ''It  pleased  the  Father  that  in  him 
should  all  fulness  dwell."  (Col.  i.  19.)  He  "giveth 
not  the  Spirit  by  measure  unto  him.''  (John  iii.  34; 
Heb.  i.  9.)  Christ  was  privy  to  all  the  purposes  of 
his  Father,  (John  v.  20,)  and  the  extent  of  his  know- 
ledge is  limited  in  him  as  Mediator^  only  by  the  au- 
thority and  will  of  the  Father.  "Of  that  day  and 
that  hour  ....  knoweth  no  man  .  .  .  neither  the 
Son.''  (Mark  xiii.  32.)  The  same  interesting  and 
important  truth  is  taught  by  the  Father's  holding 
the  book  in  his  hand,  as  also  in  plain  words,  (ch.  i. 
1,) — "the  Revelation  of  Jesus  Christ  which  God  gave 
unto  him.''     *'No  man  knoweth  the  Father  but  the 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  73 

Son."  (Matt.  xi.  27.)  In  office-capacity  the  Lord 
Christ  is  qualified  to  unfold  and  execute  the  decree 
of  God.  (Ps.  ii-  7,)  as  more  fully  appears  in  the  fol- 
lowing part  of  the  book. 

7.  And  be  came  and  took  the  book  out  of  tbe  rigbt  band  of 
bim  that  sat  upon  tbe  throne. 

V.  7. — The  Lord  Jesus  approaches  his  Father's 
throne  to  receive  the  roll.  And  with  the  prophet  we 
may  ask, — "  Who  is  this  that  engaged  his  heart  to 
approach.?''  (Jer.  xxx.  21.) — With  all  who  are  ho- 
nored to  surround  the  throne,  we  may  joyfully  an- 
swer in  the  words  of  the  Psalmist, — It  is  the  "Lord, 
strong  and  mighty  in  battle.''  (Ps.  xxiv.  8.)  "He 
took  the  book.'' — This  action  symbolically  signified 
the  authoritative  commission  given  by  the  Father 
and  received  by  the  Mediator  to  proceed  in  the  exe- 
cution of  the  divine  decree,  and  in  discharge  of  his 
threefold  office  as  prophet,  priest  and  king, — espe- 
cially and  more  formally  his  prophetical  and  kingly 
offices. 

8.  And  when  he  had  taken  the  book,  the  four  beasts  and 
four  and  twenty  elders  fell  down  before  the  Lamb,  having 
ever}'-  one  of  them  harps,  and  golden  vials  full  of  odours, 
which  are  the  prayers  of  saints. 

V.  8. — No  sooner  does  the  "Lamb  take  the  book,'' 
than  all  spectators  are  apprized  of  the  act,  and  in- 
stantly give  expression  to  their  confidence  and  joy. 
Among  all  the  worshippers  before  the  throne,  the 
"four  animals''  take  precedence,  and  lead  by  their 
own  example  as  before,  (ch.  iv.  9.)  They  gave 
glory''  etc. J  to  God  creator,  as  in  the  person  of  the 
Father;  and  now  in  the  presence  of  the  Father's 
manifested  glory,  they  prostrate  themselves  before 
the  "Lamb,''  in  obedience  to  the  Father's  command, 
"That  all  men  should  honor  the  Son,  even  as  they 
honor   the   Father."  (John  v.  23.)— The  "four  and 


74  NOTES   ON 

twenty  elders," — the  representatives  of  all  the  chil- 
dren of  God,  cordially  join  the  ministry  in  these  acts 
of  solemn  worship.  Some  of  the  furniture  employed 
in  the  temple  worship,  is  here  introduced,  to  harmo- 
nize with  the  rest  of  the  symbolic  scenery.  "Harps 
and  golden  vials''  signify  praise  and  prayer.  Our 
modern  advocates  for  instrumental  music  in  God's 
worship,  to  be  consistent,  must  associate  with  the 
"harps,''  the  "incense-cups"  and  the  "golden  altar:'' 
for  all  belonged  alike  to  the  service  of  the  temple. 
Even  in  the  time  when  such  "vessels  of  the  ministry'' 
were  in  use  with  divine  approbation,  the  Psalmist 
had  greater  clearness, — more  evangelical  conceptions 
of  the  temporary  use  of  those  "beggarly  elements 
whereunto  many  desire  again  to  be  in  bondage"  than 
they  seem  to  have.  (Gal.  iv.  9.)  He  knew,  even 
then,  that  "  incense  and  the  evening  sacrifice"  repre- 
sented spiritual  worship.  (Ps.  cxli.  2.)  Others  there 
are,  who  question  whether  Christ  as  Mediator  be  the 
formal  object  of  worship?  While  they  acknowledge 
his  supreme  deity  as  God  equal  with  the  Father,  they 
are  in  doubt  on  his  assuming  human  nature,  whether, 
"as  such,  he  is  the  object  of  worship!"  Such  doubts 
are  groundless,  as  unanswerably  shown  in  this  place, 
and  in  many  others,  such  as  John  xx.  28;  xxi.  17; 
Ps.  xlv.  11;  xcvii.  7;  Heb.  i.  6.  All  these  worship- 
pers appear  to  know  that  the  nature  of  the  altar  at 
which  they  worship  determines  the  kind  of  oblations 
to  be  offered  :  namely, — "spiritual  sacrifices,  accept- 
able to  God  by  Jesus  Christ."  (1  Pet.  ii.  5.) 

9.  And  they  sung  a  new  song,  saying,  Thou  art  wortliy  to 
take  the  book,  and  to  open  the  seals  thereof:  for  thou  wast 
slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood  out  of  every 
kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  and  nation; 

10  And  hast  made  us  unto  our  God  kings  and  priests,  and 
we  shall  reign  on  the  earth. 

Vs.  9,  10.—"  They  sung  a  new  song."     They  all 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  75 

agreed  in  the  matter,  as  well  as  in  the  divine  object 
of  worship.  "Now  will  I  sing  to  my  well  beloved  a 
song  of  my  beloved  touching  his  vineyard.''  (Isa.  v. 
1.)  Agreed  as  to  the  object  and  matter  of  the  song 
none  is  silent  in  Immanuel's  praise, — no  select  choir, 
not  one  who  worships  hy  proxy.  Such  belong  to  a 
different  fellowship.  This  is  the  "  song  of  the  Lamb," 
which  joined  to  the  ''song  of  Moses,"  constitutes  the 
whole  of  the  ''high  pm»ses  of  the  Lord,"  leaving  no 
place  for  the  vapid,  empty,  bombastic,  amorous  and 
heretical  effusions,  of  uninspired  men,  whether  of 
sound  or  "  corrupt  minds." — The  burden  of  the  song 
is  the  same  as  the  "Song  of  Songs"  and  the  forty- 
fifth  Psalm, — "Christ  crucified,'' — Christ  glorified, 
"  the  praises  of  him  who  hath  called  them  from  dark- 
ness into  his  marvellous  light.''  The  key-note  among 
them  all  is  the  work  of  redemption.  "  Thou  hast 
redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood,'' — us,  and  not 
others  in  the  same  condition.  Others  may  talk  of  a 
ransom  that  does  not  redeem;  but  these  dwell  with 
emphasis  upon  the  price  and  power  that  brought 
them  "out  of  every  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people, 
and  nation.''  This  happy  and  joyful  company  never 
conceived  the  idea  that,  in  order  at  once  to  vindicate 
Jehovah's  moral  government  and  give  the  most  im- 
pressive demonstration  of  his  opposition  to  sin,  he 
subjected  his  beloved  Son  to  untold  sufferings,  which 
should  be  equally  available  by  all  his  enemies,  but 
specially  intended  for  'none  in  particular !  They 
never  imagined  that  their  adorable  Creator  was  under 
a  natural  necessity  of  "seeking  the  greatest  good  of 
the  greatest  number,"  that  he  might  thereby  escape 
the  just  imputation  of  partiality.  Such  impious  con- 
ceptions imply  distributive  injustice  on  the  part  of 
God,  when  he  "spared  not  the  angels  that  sinned, 
but  cast  them  down  to  hell."  (2  Pet.  ii.  4.)     Neither 


76  NOTES   ON 

man's  chief  end  nor  God's  is  the  happiness  of  crea- 
tures,— no,  neither  in  creation  nor  redemption,  as  is 
clear  to  unsophisticated  reason,  and  plainly  deter- 
mined by  the  Spirit  of  God.  (See  ch.  iv.  11;  Isa. 
xliii.  7,  21;  Eph.  i.  12.)  The  manifestation  ^of  his 
own  perfections, — his  own  glory,  is  the  highest  and 
ultimate  end  of  Jehovah  in  all  his  purposes  and  works. 
'*The  Lord  hath  made  all  things  for  himself.''  (Prov. 
xvi.  4 ;  Rom.  xi.  86.)  Now^wf  the  Lamb  has  re- 
deemed the  whole  human  family,  as  some  affirm  ; 
then  it  will  follow  that  all  must  be  saved,  or  Christ 
died  in  vain,  in  reference  to  them  that  are  lost:  and 
besides,  the  ''Judge  of  all  the  earth"  would  be 
chargeable  with  exercising  distributive  injustice,  in 
exacting  double  payment,  first  from  the  Surety,  and 
then  from  the  sinner!  "That  be  far  from  God." 
"He  is  just  and  having  salvation," — "a  just  God  and 
a  Saviour.''  {Zech.  ix.  9;  Isa.  xlv.  21.)  As  there  can 
be  no  liberty  without  law,  so  there  can  be  no  mercy 
without  justice,  though  there  may  be  "justice  with- 
out mercy.''  (James  i.  25;  ii.  13.)  This  worship- 
ping company,  the  representatives  of  the  universal 
church,  ascribe  their  redemption  to  the  blood  of 
Christ.  It  is  their  declared  faith  that  pardon  is 
grounded  on  atonement,  that  "without  shedding  of 
blood  is  no  remission.''  (Heb.  ix.  22;  Lev.  xvii.  11; 
ch.  i.  5.)  They  believe,  moreover,  that  as  the  obe- 
dience of  Christ  unto  death,  his  doing  and  dying,  is 
an  adequate  satisfaction  to  law  and  justice;  so  by 
compact  between  the  Father  and  the  Son,  his  penal 
sufferings  avail  the  believing  sinner  for  pardon. 
Thus  it  is,  that  "  if  we  confess  our  sins,  he  (God  the 
Father,)  is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins." 
(1  Jno.  i.  9.)  This  doctrine  the  apostle,  as  the  mouth 
of  the  whole  church,  had  already  avowed:  (ch.  i. 
6,  6;)  and  now  again  we  have  it  repeated  and  incor- 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  77 

porated  in  the  song  of  praise.  Thus,  while  ''Christ 
crucified  is  to  the  Jews  a  stumbling  block,  and  to  the 
Greeks  foolishness;"  to  them  who  are  saved  this 
humbling  doctrine  is  "the  power  of  God  and  the  wis- 
dom of  God."  (1  Cor.  i.  24,  25.)  God's  glory  and 
the  saints'  honor  and  felicity  equally  spring  from  the 
slaying  of  the  Lamb.  These  good  things  the  blood 
of  Abel's  sacrifice  spake  in  type  soon  after  the  fall: 
and  here  we  have  the  same  things  proclaimed  as  the 
faith  of  all  believers.  (Heb.  xi.  1.) 

By  this  blood  they  are  consecrated  a  ''royal  priest- 
hood'' to  offer  up  spiritual  sacrifices;  and  there  is  a 
period  in  the  world's  eventful  history,  when  they 
shall  "reign  on  the  earth.''  Of  the  nature  of  this 
reign  there  are  two  views  entertained.  That  of  the 
Millenarians,  under  the  supposed  corporeal  presence 
of  Christ,  which  is  too  gross,  after  the  manner  of  car- 
nal Jews:  the  other  too  refined  and  remote,  after  the 
manner  of  carnal  Christians,  who  "  will  not  have  this 
man  to  reign  over  them,'' — except  in  the  church. 
Such  Christians  come  very  near  the  views  and  senti- 
ment of  those  who  exclaimed, — "Not  this  man,  but 
Barabbas."  (John  xviii.  40.)  Of  the  nature  of  Christ's 
royal  dominion  we  will  have  occasion  to  treat  in  other 
parts  of  the  Apocalypse;  but  we  take  occasion  to  re- 
mark, that  his  kingly  office  is  formally  and  merito- 
riously founded  on  the  efficacy  of  his  sacrifice :  "  Thou 
art  worthy,  for  thou  wast  slain.'' — That  the  saints 
shall  "reign  in  glory"  in  company  with  their  Saviour 
is  a  precious  scripture  truth;  but  it  is  not  the  truth 
taught  in  the  words, — "we  shall  reign  on  the  earth.'^ 
This  is  not  the  place  to  enter  on  a  full  discussion  of 
the  doctrine  here  avowed;  yet  the  following  may  be 
adduced  as  part  of  the  warrant  of  this  doctrine.  (Dan. 
vii.  27;  Rev.  xx.  4.) 

11.  And  I  beheld,  aud  I  heard  the  voice  of  many  angels 
6 


78  NOTES   ON 

round  about  the  throne,  and  the  beasts,  and  the  elders:  and 
the  number  of  them  was  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand,  and 
thousands  of  thousands; 

12.  Saying  with  a  iond  voice,  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that 
was  slain  to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and 
strength,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and  blessing. 

Vs.  11,  12. — Here  we  have  the  concurrence  of 
holy  angels,  as  seen  by  John  in  vision,  with  all  the 
redeemed  in  acts  of  solemn  worship  offered  directly 
to  the  Lamb. — "Many  angels,''  how  many.^*  Some 
divines  have  actually  attempted,  by  arithmetical  rules, 
to  compute  the  number!  Such  employment  may 
amuse,  but  it  cannot  edify.  The  definite  here  men- 
tioned for  indefinite  numbers,  may  be  easily  com- 
puted; (as  in  Dan.  vii.  10;  Ps.  Ixviii.  17;)  but  still 
we  would  labor  in  vain  ''to  find  out  the  account;" 
for  we  are  expressly  told  that  they  are  "innumera- 
ble.'' (Heb.  xii.  22.)  Like  the  ransomed  children 
of  Adam,  they  are  '*a  great  multitude  which  no  man 
can  number."  (ch.  vii.  9.)  Why  then  attempt  that 
which  the  Holy  Spirit  has  pronounced  impossible.^ 
"Vain  man  would  be  wise."  It  is  of  much  more 
consequence  for  us  to  contemplate  their  position,  re- 
lations and  employments.  Their  position  is  "round 
about  the  throne,''  beholding  the  "Lamb  as  it  had 
been  slain."  The  law  of  their  creation  could  not  re- 
veal to  them  this  object  of  adoration.  That  they 
may  know  their  duty  to  the  Mediatorial  Person  as 
their  moral  Head,  it  is  requisite  that  they  be  directed 
by  a  new  revelation.  Accordingly,  we  find  a  "new 
commandment"  issued  from  God  the  Father  express- 
ly to  them.  (Ps.  xcvii.  7;  Heb.  i.  6.)  "  Worship 
him,  all  ye  gods;"  that  is,  "Let  all  the  angels  of  God 
worship  him.''  By  the  development  of  the  eternal 
counsels  of  God  in  his  dealings  with  the  church, 
these  "principalities  and  powers  in  heavenly  places," 
discover  with  adoring  wonder  more  and  more  of  the 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  79 

"manifold  wisdom  of  God."  They  stoop  doivn,  as  it 
were,  *'to  look  into  this"  mysterious  economy,  (Eph. 
iii.  10,  11;  1  Pet.  i.  12.)  They  are  humbly  but  in- 
tensely desirous  to  discover  still  more  of  "the  hidden 
wisdom  which  God  ordained  before  the  world  unto 
the  glory"  of  their  fellow  worshippers.  (1  Cor.  ii.  7.) 
Such  is  their  position. — They  are  related  to  the  Lamb 
as  his  subjects  by  the  Father's  grant  and  command. 
"He  (Jesus)  is  gone  into  heaven  .  .  .  angels . . .  being 
made  subject  unto  him."  (1  Pet.  iii.  22.)  They  are 
also  related  to  the  "elders"  and  "animals,"  the  mem- 
bers and  ministers  of  the  church.  Said  one  of  them 
to  John, — "I  am  thy  fellow-servant.''  (ch.  xix.  10.) 
Angels  are  not  ashamed  to  call  them  "  fellow-ser- 
vants," whom  the  Lord  Jesus  "is  not  ashamed  to  call 
his  brethren.''  (Heb.  ii.  IL)  As  the  "four  animals'' 
are  nearer  the  throne  than  the  "elders,"  so  are  the 
"elders"  nearer  the  throne  than  the  angels.  These 
are  ranged,  in  John's  view,  in  the  outside  segment 
of  the  circle.  All  the  redeemed,  ministry  and  mem- 
bership, are  "nearer  of  kin''  to  the  Lamb  than  an- 
gels are.  "  He  took  not  on  him  the  nature  of  angels, 
but  he  took  on  him  the  seed  of  Abraham."  (Heb.  ii. 
1().)  All  believers  are  "members  of  his  body,  of 
his  flesh  and  of  his  bones.''  (Eph.  v.  30.)  He  has 
highly  advanced  human  nature,  by  taking  it  into 
real  and  indissoluble  union  with  his  divine  person. 
This  is  the  special  ground  of  nearness  and  intimacy 
between  Christ  and  his  brethren.  And  0,  how 
ought  we  to  emulate  holy  angels  in  adoring  this  pre- 
cious Redeemer!  "He  loved  the  church  and  gave 
himself  for  it,''  (Eph.  v.  25,)  and  he  loved  and  gave 
himself  for   every  member  of  the  church.    (Gal.  ii. 

:iO.) 

The  employments  of  this  innumerable  company  of 
angels,  besides  "miaistering  for  them  who  shall  be 


80  NOTES   ON 

heirs  of  salvation,''  (Heb.  i.  14;)  consist  mucli  in  ad- 
miring contemplations  of  the  glory  of  the  "Lamb 
slain,''  and  in  ascriptions  of  praise  to  him  who  is 
"worthy  to  receive  power,"  etc.  In  this  they  cor- 
dially harmonize  with  the  redeemed,  whose  delightful 
exercise  is  "  to  show  forth  the  praises  of  him  who 
hath  called  them  out  of  darkness  into  his  marvellous 
light:"  (IPet.  ii.  9:)  and  all  the  honor,  thus  ascribed 
to  the  Mediator  by  i)oth  classes  of  worshippers,  is  in- 
tended to  terminate  ultimately  on  the  person  of  God 
the  Father.  (Phil.  ii.  9-11.)  The  Father  "hath 
committed  all  judgment  unto  the  Son,  that  all  men," 
yes,  and  all  angels,  "should  honor  the  Son,  even  as 
they  honor  the  Father."  (John  v.  22,  23.) 

13.  And  every  creature  which  is  in  heaven,  and  on  the 
earth,  and  under  the  earth,  and  such  are  in  the  sea,  and  all 
taat  are  in  them,  heard  I  saying,  Blessing,  and  honour,  and 
glory,  and  power,  be  unto  him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne, 
and  unto  the  Lamb,  for  ever  and  ever, 

14.  And  the  four  beasts  said.  Amen.  And  the  four  and 
twenty  elders  fell  down  and  worshipped  him  that  liveth  for 
ever  and  ever. 

Vs.  13, 14. — In  addition  to  angels  and  men,  we  have 
here  enumerated  "every  creature"  in  the  whole  vast 
universe,  co-operating  in  the  worship  of  the  two  di- 
vine Persons  as  associated  in  concerting  and  execu- 
ting the  plan  of  redemption.  Thus  the  ''host  of  hea- 
ven" and  all  inferior  creatures  according  to  their 
several  capacities  unite  in  ascribing  "blessing,  and 
honor,  and  glory,  and  power,  unto  him  that  sittetli 
upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb  for  ever  and 
ever.''  And  we  may  say  with  Nehemiah, — They  are 
both  "  exalted  above  all  blessing  and  praise."  (Neh. 
ix.  5.)  Fallen  angels  and  reprobate  men  are  ex- 
cluded, from  the  nature  of  the  case,  and  by  the  un- 
alterable laws  of  the  moral  government  of  the  Most 
lli^^h,  from  any  participation  in  this  service.  (Ps.  ex. 


THE   ArOCALYPSE.  81 

1;  1  Cor.  XV.  24,  25;  Luke  xix.  27.) — Can  any  one 
who  denies  the  supreme  deity  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  or 
who  refuses  to  worship  hinij  ever  join  the  society  of 
these  worshippers?  Or,  supposing  the  possibility  of 
their  admission,  could  they  be  otherwise  than  misera- 
ble .''  0  the  "blasphemy  of  them  who  say  they  are 
Jews  !" — This  is  one  of  the  sublime  doxologies  framed 
by  the  Holy  Spirit,  for  the  use  of  all  creatures  on 
special  occasions,  but  not  to  be  abused  by  "vain  re- 
petitions ''  as  by  Papists  and  Prelates.  The  like  spe- 
cimens of  the  "high  praises  of  the  Lord"  we  have  in 
Ps.  Ixix.  34. — As  the  three  ranks  of  worshippers  here 
presented  in  vision  to  John,  beautifully  harmonize 
in  holy  exercises,  each  in  its  appropriate  sphere ;  so 
the  "animals  and  elders,'' — the  rulers  and  ruled  of 
the  church,  take  precedence  of  all  others  in  acts  of 
solemn  worship,  and  also  close  the  solemn  service, 
saying, — "Amen.'' 

The  "sealed  book"  being  delivered  by  the  Fa- 
ther into  the  possession  of  the  Mediator,  the  whole 
creation  awaits  with  confidence  and  joy  the  develop- 
ment of  the  counsels  of  God,  as  they  may  affect  the 
destinies  of  hfs  redeemed  people.  The  "Lamb  has 
prevailed  to  open  the  book,''  and  his  established  cha- 
racter is  sufficient  guarantee  for  success  in  accom- 
plishing the  responsible  work  assigned  him  by  his 
Father.  This  feeling  of  confidence  is  expressed  by 
the  worshippers,  not  only  by  the  matter  of  their 
praise,  but  also  by  the  closing  word,  "amen;"  which 
word  is  expressive  of  their  "  desires  and  assurance  to 
be  heard.'' 


82  KOTES    ON 


CHAPTER  VI. 

1.  And  I  saw  when  the  Lamb  opened  one  of  the  seals;  and 
I  heard,  as  it  were  the  noise  of  thunder,  one  of  the  four  beasts 
saying,  Come  and  see. 

2.  And  I  saw,  and  behold  a  white  horse:  and  he  that  sat 
on  him  had  a  bow;  and  a  crown  was  given  unto  him:  and  he 
went  forth  conquering,  and  to  conquer. 

Vs.  1,  2. — The  apostle  "saw  when  the  Lamb" 
proceeded  to  disclose  the  contents  of  the  book  by 
breaking  the  seals  in  regular  succession.  It  is  not 
requisite  to  suppose  that  each  of  the  seals  covers  an 
exactly  equal  part  of  the  roll.  These  parts  may  be 
quite  different  in  quantity  or  length.  It  is  obvious, 
however,  that  upon  the  breaking  of  any  one  seal, 
that  part  of  the  roll  which  the  seal  was  intended  to 
cover,  would  be  disclosed  to  a  spectator's  view, — 
the  whole  of  such  part,  and  no  more.  We  shall  find 
as  we  advance  that  the  several  parts  of  this  book 
are  in  fact  very  different  in  extent.  When  the  se- 
venth and  last  seal  is  opened,  the  who^  contents  of 
the  book  must  of  course  be  disclosed :  and  it  Avill  ap- 
pear that  the  last  of  the  seals  contained  a  much 
p^reater  part  of  the  roll  than  any  of  the  others.  To 
a  superficial  reader  this  may  be  apparent  from  the 
circumstance  that  within  the  compass  of  this  short 
chapter,  six  of  the  seals  exhibit  their  contents. 

By  the  most  learned  and  sober  divines  the  first 
six  seals  are  considered  as  disclosing  the  events  which 
transpired  from  the  time  of  the  apostle  John  till  the 
overthrow  of  pagan  idolatry  in  the  Roman  empire 
and  ihe  accession  of  Constantino. 

Let  us  consider  the  contents  of  these  seals  in 
order: — 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  83 

Upon  the  opening  ''of  one  of  the  seals,''  the  first 
of  course,  *' one  of  the  four  animals"  with  a  voice 
like  "thunder,  said,  Come  and  see.''  This  was  the 
animal  like  a  "lion,"  emblematical  of  those  bold  and 
dauntless  servants  of  Christ  who  took  their  life  in 
their  hand  and  "went  every  where  preaching  the 
Avord.''  (Acts  viii.  4.)  Many  expositors,  of  secuiarno 
tions  and  affinities,  imagine  that  some  one  of  the  Ro- 
man emperors  is  to  be  understood  as  represented  by 
him  who  rides  on  the  white  horse, — Vespasian,  Titus, 
or  Trajan.  To  name  such  figments  is  enough  to  con- 
fute them  in  the  mind  of  such  as  have  spiritual  dis- 
cernment. "  White"  is  not  the  divinely  chosen  sym- 
bol of  bloody  w^arriors  or  persecutors.  It  is  most 
frequently  the  emblem  of  purity,  legal  or  moral. 
(Matt.  xvii.  2;  Rev.  iii.  4,  5.)  "  White  horse"  may 
represent  the  gospel,  the  Covenant  of  Grace  or  the 
church.  In  this  "chariot,''  (Song  iii.  9,)  or  upon 
this  horse,  as  it  were,  Christ,  "the  captain  of  salva- 
tion'' in  apostolic  times,  "went  forth  conquering, 
and  to  conquer.''  Much  opposition  from  Jews  and 
Gentiles  was  raised  against  his  gospel,  especially  upon 
his  exaltation  to  his  mediatorial  throne:  but  the  open- 
ing of  this  seal  discloses  the  Father's  purpose  to  bear 
out  his  Son  in  extending  his  rightful  conquests.  (Isa. 
xlii.  4.)  "The  Lord  gave  the  word;  great  was  the 
company  of  those  that  published  it."  (Ps.lxviii.il.) 
The  "bow  and  the  crown''  as  symbols,  combine  the 
military  and  regal  character  of  Christ,  indicating  his 
victories  and  succeeding  exaltation.  He  shall  wound 
the  heads  over  the  large  earth ;  therefore  shall  he 
lift  up  the  head.  (Ps.  ex.  6.)  He  is  the  "Prince  of 
of  peace,"  and  the  primary  object  of  his  mission  by 
the  Father  is,  to  establish  "truth  and  meekness  and 
righteousness"  in  the  earth.  Yet  he  is  a  "Lamb,'' 
but  a  Lamb  that  makes  war;  and  "in  righteousness 


84  NOTES   ON 

he  doth  judge  and  make  war."  (ch.  xix.  11.)  In 
this  last  cited  text  we  have  an  irrefragable  proof  of 
the  correctness  of  our  interpretation  of  the  symbols 
under  the  first  seal.  The  rider's  name  is,  "The 
Word  of  God,"  (v.  13.) 

3.  And  when  he  had  opened  the  second  seal,  I  heard  the 
second  beast  say,  Come  and  see. 

4.  And  there  went  out  another  horse  that  was  red;  and 
power  was  given  to  him  that  sat  thereon  to  take  peace  from 
the  earth,  and  that  they  should  kill  one  another:  and  there 
was  given  unto  him  a  great  sword. 

V.  3, 4. -The  opening  of  the  ''second  seal ''  furnishes 
occasion  for  the  '* second  animal''  to  cry,  "Come  and 
see.''  It  is  the  customary  business  of  faithful  minis- 
ters to  invite  the  disciples  of  Christ  to  a  contempla- 
tion of  his  providential  procedure.  "Come,  behold 
the  works  of  the  Lord."  (Ps.  xlvi.  8.)  This  is  the 
call  of  the  ministry  represented  by  the  symbol  of  a 
"calf  or  young  ox."  "Patient  continuance  in  well 
doing"  is  the  special  duty  of  Christ's  servants  in 
times  of  suffering.  And  such  seems  to  be  the  import 
of  the  emblem,  the  "red  horse."  By  the  horse, 
singly  considered,  we  are  to  understand  a  dispensa- 
tion of  providence.  So  we  are  to  view  it  as  a  symbol 
in  Zech.  i.  8;  vi.  1-8.  The  prophet  said,  "0,  my 
Lord,  what  are  these.'*  .  .  .  And  the  man  answered, — 
These  are  they  whom  the  Lord  hath  sent  to  walk  to 
and  fro  through  the  earth."  We  speak  familiarly  of 
a  "dispensation  of  the  gospel," — the  "white  horse.'' 
Our  attention  is  now  called  to  a  "red  horse,'' — fiery ^ 
as  the  word  imports.  The  character  of  the  dispensa- 
tion is  thus  indicated  as  bloody.  Wars  should  pre- 
vail so  as  to  "take  peace  from  the  earth.''  "They 
should  kill  one  another."  The  instrument  of  slaugh- 
ter is  seen, — "a  great  sword."  Mutual  slaughter 
does  not  seem  to  harmonize  with  the  idea  of  persecu- 
tion, by  which  the  saints  only  "are  killed  all  the  day 


THE    ArOCALYPSE.     "  85 

long.''  History  records  that  insurrections,  battles, 
massacres  and  devastations  of  an  extraordinary  kind 
took  place  in  the  first  half  of  the  second  century,  by 
which  more  than  half  a  million  of  the  Jews  perished 
by  the  hand  of  the  pagans;  and  a  still  greater  num- 
ber on  the  opposite  side  were  slain  by  the  Jews. 
Thus  the  two  parties  who  rivalled  each  other  in  op- 
posing the  gospel  and  the  progress  of  Christ's  king- 
dom, were  made  by  him  the  instruments  of  their 
mutual  destruction.  For  he  it  is  who  directs  the 
movements  and  course  of  providence,  the  "red  horse." 
"  Behold  what  desolations  he  hath  made  in  the  earth  !" 
"In  this  text,"  says  an  eminent  expositor,  "earth 

signifies  the  Roman  empire." "Daniel,  .... 

whose  sealed  prophecy  is  explained  by  the  opening 
of  the  Apocalyptical  seals,  denominates  the  Roman 
empire,  'the  fourth  kingdom  upon  earth.'''  We 
humbly  suggest,  that  this  does  not  render  the  Roman 
empire  synonyinous  with  earth,  any  more  than  the 
Chaldean,  Persian,  or  Grecian.  And  indeed  the 
monarchs  of  those  empires  put  forth  as  extensive 
claims  to  universal  empire  as  ever  the  Cesars  did. 
The  word  earth  is  to  be  interpreted  always  by  the 
context.  Like  the  term  ivorld,  it  may  sometimes 
signify  the  Roman  empire,  as  Luke  ii.  1.  But  in 
other  cases  even  within  the  compass  of  the  Apoca- 
lypse, it  is  not  to  be  so  understood  without  manifest 
confusion,  as  in  ch.  xvi.  1,  2.  The  contents  of  all 
the  vials  are  there  said  to  be  poured  out  upon  the 
earth;  but  earth  is  afterwards  the  special  object  of 
the  first  only.  It  follows  that  this  term  cannot  be 
uniformly  and  safely  in  this  book  interpreted  as  iden- 
tical with  and  limited  by  the  Roman  empire.  The 
importance  of  accuracy  here  may  become  more  ap- 
parent in  our  future  progress. 

5.  And  when  lie  had  opened  the  third  seal,  I  heard  the 


86  NOTES    ON 

third  beast  say,  Come  and  see.  And  I  beheld,  and,  lo,  a 
black  horse;  and  he  that  sat  on  him  had  a  pair  ot  balances  in 
his  hand. 

6.  And  I  heard  a  voice  in  the  midst  of  the  four  beasts  say, 
A  measure  of  wheat  for  a  penny,  and  three  measures  of  barley 
for  a  penny;  and  see  thou  hurt  not  the  oil  and  the  wine. 

Vs.  4-6. — The  third  of  the  four  "animals"  calls 
attention  to  the  disclosures  made  by  breaking  the 
*' third  seal.''  He  "had  a  face  as  a  man,"  (ch.  iv.  7,) 
indicating,  as  already  said,  active  sympathy,  affec- 
tionate counsel  and  seasonable  exhortation  in  cala- 
mitous times.  Christian  ministers  need  "the  tongue 
of  the  learned  to  speak  a  word  in  season  to  him  that 
is  weary,"  when  the  judgments  of  God  are  abroad 
in  the  earth;  for  some  of  these  press,  most  sensibly, 
on  the  poor.  Such  is  the  character  of  the  dispensa- 
tion symbolized  by  the  "black  horse."  Scarcity  of 
bread  is  the  judgment  represented  here  by  the  com- 
bined symbols.  "Our  skin  was  black  like  an  oven, 
because  of  the  terrible  famine.''  (Lam.  v.  10;  Zech. 
vi.  2.) — The  rider  "had  a  pair  of  balances  in  his 
hand."  The  word  translated  "balances,''  literally 
rendered,  signifies  a  yoke^ — 2oah% — couple. — In  popu- 
lar use,  it  came  to  signify  an  instrument  for  weighing 
commodities,  from  the  counterpoising  (double)  scales. 
This  symbol  indicated  famine, — that  people  should 
''•eat  bread  by  weight  and  with  care;''  (Ezek.  iv.  16;) 
and  this  is  confirmed  by  the  "  voice  in  the  midst  of 
the  four  animals:" — "A  measure  of  wheat  for  a 
penny,"  etc.  The  quantity  of  food,  and  the  price, 
as  here  announced,  would  seem  to  the  English  reader 
to  express  plenty  and  cheapness.  But  when  it  is  un- 
derstood that  the  "measure  of  wheat''  was  the  ordi- 
nary allowance  for  a  laboring  man,  and  "a  penny" 
the  usual  wages  for  one  day;  a  little  more  than  a 
quart,  for  about  fifteen  cents:  it  may  be  asked,  How 
could  the  laboring  man  procure  food  and  clothing 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  87 

for  himself,  his  wife  and  children?  It  is  said  that 
three  times  the  quantity  of  "barley''  could  be  had 
for  the  same  money;  but  being  a  coarser  and  less 
nutritious  grain,  it  would  reach  but  little  farther  in 
sustaining  a  family.  Famine  usually  falls  heaviest 
on  the  middle  and  lower  classes  of  society.  Even 
in  such  times  the  "rich  fare  sumptuously  every  day." 
Accordingly,  "the  oil  and  the  wine,'' — some  of  the 
staple  productions  of  Canaan, — are  exempted  from 
the  providential  blight  sent  upon  the  necessaries  of 
life.  (Gen.  xliii.  11.) 

According  to  history,  from  the  year  138,  till  near 
the  end  of  the  second  century,  a  general  scarcity  of 
provisions  was  felt,  notwithstanding  all  the  care  and 
foresight  of  emperors  and  their  ministers  to  antici- 
pate the  scourge.  The  Pharaohs  on  the  throne  had 
no  Joseph  to  lay  up  in  store  in  the  "years  of  plenty." 
But  when  our  New  Testament  Joseph  would  thus 
fight  against  the  persecutors  of  his  saints  by  the 
judgment  of  famine;  he  gave  previous  intimation 
here  to  his  disciples  of  the  approaching  calamity,  as 
his  manner  is  to  his  own.  (Luke  xxi.  20-22.) 

7.  And  when  lie  had  opened  the  fourth  seal,  I  heard  the 
voice  of  the  fourth  beast  say,  Come  and  see. 

8.  And  I  looked,  and  behold  a  pale  horse;  and  his  name 
that  sat  on  him  was  death,  and  hell  followed  with  him:  and 
power  was  given  unto  them  over  the  fourth  part  of  the  earth, 
to  kill  with  sword,  and  with  hunger,  and  with  death,  and 
with  tlie  beasts  of  the  earth. 

Vs.  7,  8. — "It  is  better  to  go  to  the  house  of 
mournino;  than  to  go  to  the  house  of  feastinoj,"  ac- 
cording  to  the  judgment  of  the  wisest  of  mere  men; 
(Eccl.  vii.  2,)  and  so  we  are  invited  here  by  a  spi- 
rituallj^-minded  ministry, — "like  a  flying  eagle."  A 
scene  of  lamentation,  mourning  and  woe,  is  disclosed 
at  the  opening  of  the  "fourth  seal." — All  the  symbols 
betoken  augmented  severity  in  the  judgments.    There 


88  NOTES   ON 

is  ** pestilence"  added  to  the  sword  and  famine. 
"The  pale  horse,"  or  livid green^  is  the  emblem  of 
pestilence.  The  Mediator  conducts  the  destroying 
angel  to  fulfil  the  will  of  God.  "Before  Him  went 
the  pestilence;"  and  by  a  combination  of  awful  sym- 
bols, the  king  of  terrors, — "death,"  is  represented 
as  slaying  his  victims,  and  "hell  followed  with  him," 
satiated  with  his  prey.  "  Sword,  hunger,  death  and 
beasts  of  the  earth,''  were  commissioned  to  lay  waste 
the  fourth  part  of  the  then  known  world. 

If  we  are  to  interpret  the  "beasts  of  the  earth" 
literally,  then  we  may  easily  perceive  how  the  de- 
population produced  by  the  other  calamities  would 
make  way  for  their  increase  and  destructive  ravages. 
But  if  we  understand  these  "beasts"  as  symbolizing 
the  persecuting  powers;  then  adding  these  to  all 
the  other  destructive  agencies, — especially  to  the 
"pale  horse,''  the  chief  symbol  in  the  group;  we  may 
readily  perceive  the  force  of  the  combined  emblems, 
a  concentrating,  as  it  were,  of  all  destroying  agen- 
cies. Historians  inform  us,  that  "a  pestilence  ari- 
sing from  Ethiopia,  went  through  all  the  provinces 
of  Rome,  and  wasted  them  for  fifteen  years."  This, 
added  to  the  sword  of  war  and  persecution,  which  lasted 
sixty  years,  according  to  some  interpreters,  or  from 
211  to  270,  would  seem  to  exhaust  the  events  sym- 
bolized by  the  series  of  the  seals,  except  the  seventh, 
so  far  at  least  as  the  sufferings  of  the  church  are  con- 
cerned. For  under  the  fifth  and  sixth  seals,  as  will 
appear,  nothing  of  a  calamitous  nature  befalls  the 
righteous. 

9.  And  when  he  had  opened  the  fifth  seal,  I  saw  under  the 
altar  the  souls  of  them  that  were  slain  for  the  word  of  God, 
and  for  the  testimony  which  they  held: 

10.  And  they  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying.  How  long, 
O  Lord,  holy  and  true,  dost  thou  not  judge  and  avenge  our 
blood  on  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth  ? 


TBE    APOCALYPSE.  89 

11.  And  white  robes  were  given  unto  every  one  of  tliem; 
and  it  was  said  unto  them,  that  tliey  should  rest  yet  for  a 
little  season,  until  their  fellow-servants  also,  and  their  bre- 
thren, that  should  be  killed  as  they  were,  should  be  fulfilled. 

Vs.  9-11. — At  the  opening  of  the  fifth  seal,  none 
of  the  "four  animals''  calls  attention  to  its  contents. 
This  fact  may  indicate  that  no  new  development  of 
providence  is  intended,  but  rather  the  effects  of  the 
preceding  three,  produced  upon  the  church  and  saints 
of  God;  as  the  sixth  discloses  the  penalty  inflicted 
on  his  and  their  enemies. 

John  saw  the  "souls  of  them  that  were  slain.'' — 
Souls  are  visible  only  in  vision,  (ch.  xx.  4.)  These 
souls  were  not  slain,  but  they  were  the  souls  of  them, 
the  persons,  that  were  slain.  (Matt.  x.  28.)  The 
enemy  could  kill  the  body  only,  an  essential  part  of 
the  human  person,  although  the  chief  aim  was  to  kill 
the  soul.  The  ground  of  their  suffering  was  the  same 
as  that  of  John,  (ch.  i.  9.)  And  from  the  first  of 
this  honoured  class, — Abel,  mentioned  in  the  Bible, 
to  the  last, — Antipas;  the  cause  is  the  same,  and 
the  distinguished  name  is  the  same.  They  are 
"martyrs  for  the  word  of  God,  and  for  the  testimony 
which  they  held.''  And  however  tenaciously  a  person 
may  hold  other  principles,  even  though  he  should 
die  for  them,  he  is  not  a  martyr.  The  aphorism  is 
true, — It  is  not  suffering  for  religion,  but  "the  cause 
that  makes  the  martyr," — suffering  unto  death  from 
love  to  "the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus." 

These  souls  were  "under  the  altar,"  in  allusion 
still  to  the  outward  means  of  grace  under  the  Old 
Testament  economy.  It  is  not  very  material,  per- 
haps, whether  we  understand  the  altar  for  sacrifice 
or  that  for  incense,  the  comfortable  doctrines,  often 
taught  in  the  Scriptures,  are  here  illustrated.  First, 
That  the  redemption  of  the  sinner  is  by  the  atoning 


DO  NOTES    ON 

sacrifice  of  Christ.  Second^  That  after  death, — es- 
pecially by  martyrdom,  the  soul  is  safe  "under  the 
altar,'' — in  fellowship  with  the  Saviour.  Third, 
That  the  soul,  "made  perfect  in  holiness,"  retains  a 
deep  conviction,  that  "vengeance  belongs  to  God," 
(ch.  xviii.  20;  xix.  1—3.)  Fourth^  That  "the  spirits 
of  just  men  made  perfect,''  both  desire  and  need  in- 
struction relative  to  the  future  evolution  of  the  divine 
purposes.  Adoring  the  infinite  perfections  of  God, 
acknowledging  his  holiness  and  acquiescing  in  his 
faithfulness;  they  cannot  but  desire  a  farther  display 
of  his  vindictive  and  distributive  justice,  as  indispen- 
sable to  the  manifestation  of  the  divine  glory,  the 
vindication  of  the  claims  of  the  divine  government, 
the  asserting  of  their  injured  rights,  and  the  comple- 
ting of  ^their  eternal  felicity.  Accordingly,  we  find 
their  earnest  plea  admitted.  "It  was  said  unto  them, 
that  they  should  rest." — Their  repose  can  never  be 
disturbed.  The  "white  robes"  in  which  they  are 
arrayed,  are  not  spun  out  of  their  own  bowels,  like 
the  spider's  w^eb,  either  by  their  services  or  suffer- 
ings; but  they  are  the  well  known  emblems  of  the 
im})uted  righteousness  of  their  Redeemer, — fine  linen 
clean  and  white,  the  only  righteousness  of  saints, 
(ch.  xix.  8.)  Persecution  did  not  terminate  under  the 
preceding  seals.  Others,  their  "fellow-servants  and 
brethren,  should  be  killed  as  they  were."  The  ho- 
norable roll  of  martyrs  was  not  yet  completed.  The 
"little  season"  is  a  very  indefinite  period  in  our  mode 
of  computation.  But  "with  the  Lord,  one  day  is  as 
a  thousand  years,'' — (2  Pet.  iii.  8.)  This  "season'' 
seems  to  comprehend  the  whole  period  of  persecution. 
Now,  as  we  shall  see,  the  Roman  empire,  whether 
pagan  or  Christian,  is  still  a  ravenous  beast, — "de- 
vouring Jacob." 

The  policy  of  Rome  pagan  was  to  dictate  the  state 


THE  APOCALYPSE.  91 

religion.  The  idol  gods  of  the  conquered  provinces 
were  generally  adopted  and  enrolled  among  those  of 
the  Pantheon.  There  was  a  niche  for  any  and  every 
god  but  "Jacob's  God.''  As  he  would  permit  no 
rival,  (Exod.  xx.  2,  23;  Is.  xlii.  8;)  so  the  populace 
"woukl  have  none  of  Him,''  (Actsxvi.  19-21.)  Such 
we  will  find  to  be  the  policy  of  Rome  Christian. 
There  is  no  "communion  between  lio-ht  and  dark- 


12.  And  I  beheld  when  he  had  opened  the  sixth  seal,  and, 
lo,  there  was  a  great  eartbqunke:  and  the  sun  became  black 
as  sackcloth  of  hair,  and  the  moon  became  as  blood; 

13.  And  the  stars  of  heaven  fell  unto  the  earth,  even  as  a 
fig-tree  castetli  her  untimely  figs,  when  she  is  shaken  of  a 
mighty  wind: 

14.  And  the  heaven  departed  as  a  scroll  when  it  is  rolled  to- 
gether; and  every  mountain  and  island  were  moved  out  of 
their  places; 

15.  And  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  the  great  men,  and 
the  rich  men,  and  the  chief  captains,  and  the  mighty  men, 
and  every  bond -man,  and  every  free-man,  hid  tbemselves  in 
the  dens,  and  in  the  rocks  of  the  mountains: 

16.  And  said  to.  the  mountains  and  rocks,  Fall  on  us,  and 
hide  us  from  the  face  of  him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and 
from  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb: 

17.  For  the  great  day  of  his  wrath  is  come,  and  who  shall 
be  able  to  stand? 

Vs.  12-17. — The  sixth  seal  is  opened,  like  the 
rest,  by  the  hand  of  the  Mediator,  and  here  "his 
right  hand  teacheth  terrible  things.''  "By  terrible 
things  in  righteousness  wilt  thou  answer  us,  0  God 
of  our  salvation."  (Ps.  Ixv.  5.)  The  awful  scene  dis- 
closed would  seem  to  be  a  beginnino;  of  answer  to 
the  importunate  cry  of  the  "souls  under  the  altar," 
as  in  the  foregoing  vision. 

Many  expositors  since  the  time  of  Cyprian  in  the 
third  century,  have  understood  this  seal  as  disclosing 
the  scene  of  the  last  judgment.  No  doubt  the  sym- 
bols here  employed  are  suited  to  that  event;  but  the 


92  NOTES    ON 

series  of  seals,  trumpets  and  vials,  not  to  speak  of 
events  still  more  remote,  wholly  precludes  such  an 
interpretation.  All  the  symbols  under  the  sixth  seal 
betoken  revolution.  Such  is  their  established  and 
well  known  import  in  other  parts  of  Scripture. 

The  ''earthquake"  is  more  than  a  shaking  of  the 
earth.  It  is  a  concussioyi  of  the  heavens  also.  As 
Haggai  is  interpreted  by  Paul,  we  learn  the  civil  and 
ecclesiastical  change  of  the  Jewish  polity  by  the  "  sha- 
king of  the  heavens  and  the  earth.''  (Hag.  ii.  6;  Heb. 
xii.  26,  27.)  The  day  of  final  judgment  is  so  often 
referred  to  as  certain,  that  no  special  prediction  was 
needed  to  assure  us  of  that  event.  Indeed,  the  de- 
scription of  the  day  of  judgment  is  commonly  em- 
ployed by  the  prophets  to  represent  revolutions  among 
the  nations.  So  it  is  in  reference  to  the  overthrow 
of  Babylon,  (Is.  xiii.  13.) — of  Egypt,  (Ezek.  xxxii. 
7,  8,)  of  Jerusalem,  (Matt.  xxiv.  7,  29.)  The  "sun, 
moon  and  stars"  are  emblems  of  civil  officers,  su- 
preme and  subordinate,  as  well  as  of  military  com- 
manders. Their  consternation  and  despair,  now  that 
they  are  cast  down  from  their  exalted  position,  as 
heavenly  luminaries  darkened  and  hurled  from  their 
orbits,  betray  their  apprehension  of  deserved  and  in- 
evitable wrath.  Indeed  we  may  view  the  last  three 
verses  of  this  chapter,  as  exegetical  or  explanatory 
of  the  preceding  three.  The  whole  frame  of  imperial 
power  underwent  a  change  which  is  commonly  called 
a  revolution.  And  the  grandeur  of  the  complex 
symbols,  borrowed  from  the  closing  scene  of  time, 
was  never  more  appropriately  employed  by  the  Spirit 
of  prophecy,  than  in  the  present  instance,  to  portray 
the  total  overthrow  of  pagan  power,  idolatry  and  ty- 
ranny. The  most  conspicuous  instrument  in  the  Me- 
diator's hand  by  which  this  great  revolution  was  ef- 
fected, is  well  known  in  history  as  "  Constantino  the 


THE    APOCALYrSE.  93 

Great."  The  great  lights  of  the  heathen  world,  the 
powers  civil  and  ecclesiastical,  were  not  eclipsed,  but 
extinguished,  heathen  priests  and  augurs  were  extir- 
pated and  idolatrous  temples  were  closed.  Christi- 
anity was  professed  by  the  emperor  himself,  and  his 
authority  exerted  for  its  recognition  and  diffusion 
throughout  his  dominions.  Thus  did  the  God  of  Israel 
"  avenge  his  own  elect,  who  cried  to  him  night  and  day 
from  under  the  altar;"  and  thus  did  he  afford  unto 
them  a  "season  of  rest." 

Constantine,  however,  was  more  of  a  politician 
than  divine.  To  the  student  of  history  he  will  appear 
in  many  respects  a  striking  prototype  of  William 
Prince  of  Orange,  who  on  a  less  extended  scale  an- 
swers as  an  antitype  in  the  latter  part  of  the  seven- 
teenth century.  Neither  of  them  exemplified  in  their 
lives  the  "power  of  godliness."  Like  Charles  the 
Second,  they  did  not  consider  primitive  apostolic 
Christianity  "  a  religion  for  a  gentleman.''  Constan- 
tine combined  in  his  character  the  properties  of  the 
lion  and  the  fox.  He  was  crafty  and  ambitious. 
Usurping  the  prerogatives  of  Zion's  King,  he  assumed 
a  blasphemous  supremacy  over  the  church,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  model  her  external  polity  after  the  exam- 
ple of  the  empire.  Among  the  Christian  ministry, 
he  found  mercenary  spirits  who  pandered  to  his  am- 
bition,— "having  his  person  in  admiration  because 
of  advantage.''  Advancing  these  to  positions  of  opu- 
lence and  splendor,  he  could  certainly  rely  upon  them 
to  support  him  in  his  schemes  of  aggrandizement. 
Thus  the  mystery  of  iniquity,  whose  working  Paul 
discovered  in  his  time,  was  nurtured  to  its  full  deve- 
lopment in  Heaven's  appointed  time.  (2  Thess.  ii.  7, 
etc.)  If  on  such  occasions  mighty  kings  and  valiant 
generals  are  stricken  with  dismay,  what  shall  be  the 
terror  of  all  the  impenitent  enemies  of  the  Lord  and 
7 


9^  NOTES    ON 

his  Anointed  when  the  heavens  and  the  earth  shall 
pass  away  and  leave  them  without  these  imaginary 
niding-places  from  "the  wrath  of  the  Lamb!'' 


CHAPTER  YII. 

The  scenes  portrayed  by  varied  symbols  in  this 
chapter,  are  by  some  considered  as  a  continuation  of 
the  sixth  seal.  We  think  they  may  with  more  pro- 
priety be  viewed  as  relating  to  the  events  under  the 
four  which  precede;  while  they  are  obviously  pre- 
paratory to  the  opening  of  the  last  seal  in  the  next 
chapter. 

1.  And  after  these  things  I  saw  four  angels  standing  on  the 
four  corners  of  the  earth,  holding  the  four  winds  of  the  earth, 
that  the  wind  should  not  blow  ou  the  earth,  nor  on  the  sea, 
nor  on  any  tree. 

V.  1.  The  *'four  angels''  represent  the  instru- 
ments of  providence.  The  *' four  •  corners  of  the 
earth  "  intend  all  nations  of  the  world,  as  then  known 
in  geography.  (Ch.  xx.  8,  9.)  The  "holding  of  the 
winds''  is  emblematical  of  the  tranquillity  consequent 
upon  the  accession  of  Constantino  to  the  imperial 
throne, — the  temporary  cessation  of  desolating  wars 
and  persecutions, — the  "rest''  for  which  the  martyrs 
prayed.  "Thou  calledst  in  trouble,  and  I  delivered 
thee."  (Ps.  Ixxxi.  7.) 

2.  And  I  saw  another  angel  ascending  from  the  east,  hay- 
ing the  seal  of  the  living  God:  and  he  cried  with  aloud  voice 
to  the  four  angels,  to  whom  it  was  given  to  hurt  the  earth 
and  the  sea. 

3.  Saying,  Hurt  not  the  earth,  neither  the  sea,  nor  the  trees, 
till  we  have  sealed  the  servants  of  our  God  in  their  fore- 
heads. 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  95 

^  Vs.  2,  3. — '-Another  angel  ....  having  the  seal 
of  the  living  God,''  can  be  none  other  but  the  Lord 
Christ.  His  people  are  "sealed  unto  the  day  of  re- 
demption with  that  Holy  Spirit  of  promise,''  or  pro- 
mised Holy  Spirit.  (2  Cor.  i.  22;  Eph.  i.  13.)  He 
came  from  the  east.  There  the  Son  of  righteousness 
arose  upon  a  dark  world,  and  his  beams  enlightened 
the  kingdoms  of  Europe,  in  which  multitudes  were 
effectually  called  during  this  tranquil  period,  (ch.  xiv. 
1.)  This  angel,  as  having  sovereign  authority  over 
"earth  and  sea,"  and  from  whom  the  "four  angels"  had 
their  commission,  now  commands  them  not  to  "hurt 
the  earth  and  the  sea,"  till  He  and  the  ministers, — 
the  instruments  of  his  grace, — had  "sealed  the  ser- 
vants of  God.''  This  "sealing,''  while  symbolizing 
baptism,  signifies  especially  the  saving  work  of  the 
eternal  Spirit,  by  which  its  subjects  are  to  be,  and 
actually  are,  preserved  from  apostacy  in  future  and 
trying  times.  We  shall  meet  with  them  again,  (ch. 
xiv.  1.) 

The  favour  shown  by  Constantino  to  Christian  mi- 
nisters and  converts,  induced  multitudes  to  make  a 
profession  of  Christianity,  and  of  course  filled  the 
church  with  hypocrites.  The  flattery  of  those  in 
power  has  often  proved  as  detrimental  to  the  church's 
spiritual  prosperity  as  their  frowns.  (Dan.  xi.  32.) 
Still,  the  special  design  of  this  sealing  seems  to  be 
the  preservation  of  a  chosen  remnant, — the  witnesses, 
during  the  period  of  the  trumpets,  when  Antichrist 
should  be  fully  organized. 

4.  And  I  heard  the  number  of  them  which  were  sealed: 
and  there  were  sealed  a  hundred  and  forty  and  four  thousand, 
of  all  the  tribes  of  the  children  of  Israel. 

5,  Of  the  tribe  of  J uda  were  sealed  twelve  thousand.  Of 
the  tribe  of  Reuben  were  sealed  twelve  thousand.  Of  the 
tribe  of  Gad  were  sealed  twelve  thouiand. 


96  NOTES   ON 

6.  Of  the  tribe  of  Aser  were  sealed  twelve  thousand.  Of 
tlie  tribe  of  Neplithalim  were  sealed  twelve  thousand.  Of 
the  tribe  of  Manasses  were  sealed  twelve  thousand. 

7.  Of  the  tribe  of  Simeon  were  sealed  twelve  thousand. 
Of  the  tribe  of  Levi  were  sealed  twelve  thousand.  Of  the 
tribe  of  Issacliar  were  sealed  twelve  thousand. 

8.  Of  the  tribe  of  Zabulon  were  sealed  twelve  thousand. 
Of  the  tribe  of  Joseph  were  sealed  twelve  thousand.  Of  the 
tribe  of  Benjamin  were  sealed  twelve  thousand. 

Vs.  4-8. — The  number  sealed  was  "  a  hundred 
forty  and  four  thousand;''  of  "each  tribe  twelve 
thousand."  These  numbers  are  not  to  be  taken  lite- 
rally, but  comparatively,  as  contradistinguished  from 
another  company,  (v.  9.)  Neither  do  we  suppose, 
with  many  expositors,  that  Jews  by  nation  are  here 
exclusively  intended.  At  the  time  referred  to,  in 
the  fifth  century,  the  ''middle  wall  of  partition"  had 
been  long  removed.  (Eph.  ii.  14.)  Jews  and  Gen- 
tiles were  "all  one  in  Christ  Jesus."  (Gal.  iii.  28.) 
There  is  no  ground  to  suppose  that  exactly  the  same 
number  would  be  sealed  of  every  tribe.  Besides, 
all  the  original  tribes  are  not  named.  Dan  is  not 
among  them,  and  Judah  is  first  in  order  in  Reuben's 
place.  The  gates  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem  are 
inscribed  with  the  names  of  the  twelve  tribes  of 
Israel,  (ch.  xxii.  12.)  In  a  word,  this  sealed  company 
is  composed  of  Jews  and  Gentiles,  representing  the 
whole  number  of  true  believers,  who  were  enabled 
by  grace  to  hold  fast  their  profession  in  trying  times, 
and  who  experienced  more  special  protection  in  peri- 
lous times.  (Ezek.  ix.  4-6.) 

9.  After  this  I  beheld,  and,  lo,  a  great  multitude,  which 
no  man  could  number,  of  all  nations,  and  kindreds,  and  peo- 
ple, 'and  tongues,  stood  before  the  throne,  and  before  the 
Lamb,  clothed  with  white  robes,  and  palms  in  their  hands; 

10.  And  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying,  Salvation  to  our 
God  which  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb. 

11.  And  all  the  angels  stood  round  about  the  throne,  and 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  97 

about  the  elders  and  the  four  beasts,  and  fell  before  the  throne 
on  their  faces,  and  worshipped  God, 

12.  Saying,  Amen:  Blessing,  and  glory,  and  wisdom,  and 
thanksgiving,  and  honour,  and  power,  and  might,  be  unto 
our  God  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen. 

Vs.  9-12. — The  "great  multitude,  which  no  man 
could  number,"  are  evidently  distinguished  from  the 
number  sealed.  They  are  collected  from  all  the  na- 
tions known  at  that  time.  They  "stood  before  the 
throne  and  before  the  Lamb,''  as  accepted  worship- 
pers; ascribing  "salvation,''  not  to  their  own  merit, 
but  to  the  free  grace  of  God  the  Father,  and  the  ob- 
lation and  intercession  of  the  Lamb.  They  are  now 
in  a  triumphant  state,  as  indicated  by  the  "palms 
in  their  hands,''  the  usual  emblems  of  victory. 
"White  robes''  bespeak  their  justification.  "All 
the  angels"  in  heaven,  signify  their  hearty  assent  to 
the  praises  of  the  redeemed  by  saying,  "Amen." 
Then  in  an  attitude  of  profoundest  reverence,  they 
celebrate  the  praises  of  God  in  strains  proper,  though 
not  peculiar  to  themselves.  As  in  ch.  v.  11,  the 
angels  in  this  place  are  disposed  and  arranged  in  the 
outer  circle  of  all  the  intelligent  worshippers.  Re- 
deemed sinners  stand  nearest  to  the  throne,  in  virtue 
of  their  union  to  Christ,  while  holy  angels,  without 
envy,  contemplate,  with  rapturous  emotions,  the  dis- 
plays of  the  "manifold  wisdom,  of  God  "  in  his  deal- 
ings with  the  church.  (Eph.  iii.  10.)  Thus  we  may 
learn  to  do  the  will  of  God  on  earth,  as  it  is  done  by 
the  angels  in  heaven. 

13.  And  one  of  the  elders  answered,  saying  unto  me,  "What 
are  these  which  are  arrayed  in  white  robes?  and  whence 
came  they? 

14.  And  I  said  unto  him.  Sir,  thou  knowest.  And  he  said 
to  me.  These  are  they  which  came  out  of  great  tribulation, 
and  have  washed  their  robes,  and  made  them  white  in  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb. 

15.  Therefore  are  they  before  the  throne  of  God,  and  serve 


98  NOTES   ON 

him  clay  and  night  in  his  temple;  and  he  that  sitteth  on  the 
throne  shall  dwell  among  them. 

IG.  They  shall  hunger  no  more,  neither  thirst  any  more; 
neither  shall  the  sun  liglit  on  them,  nor  any  heat. 

17.  For  the  Lamb,  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne, 
shall  feed  them,  and  shall  lead  them  unto  living  fountains  of 
waters;  and  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes. 

Ys.  13-17. — *'  One  of  the  elders"  asks  John, — not 
for  information,  but  to  engage  his  attention, — "What 
are  these, and  whence  came  they.'"'  Minis- 
ters may  often  receive  instruction  from  the  members 
of  the  church.  This  elder  answers  his  own  questions 
as  the  angel  did  to  the  prophet,  (Zech.  iv.  5,  6.) 
These  are  the  "  great  multitude," — probably  the  same 
whose  "souls''  John  saw  at  the  opening  of  the  fifth 
seal,  but  now  appearing  in  a  new  aspect:  for  it  is 
evident  that  they  had  been  engaged  in  war.  This 
appears  by  the  "palms"  of  victory.  They  had  been 
in  "great  tribulation''  prior  to  the  peaceful  reign  of 
Constantine,  by  Satan's  temptations,  the  spoiling  of 
their  goods,  imprisonment  of  their  persons,  and  the 
sacrifice  of  their  lives, —  "not  loving  their  lives  unto 
the  death.''  All  these  tribulations,  however,  could 
not  separate  them  from  the  love  of  God.  (Rom.  viii. 
37-89.)  They  had  "washed  their  robes," — not  in 
penitential  tears,  their  own  martyr-blood,  their  doing 
or  suflfering  in  the  cause  of  Christ;  but  their  robes 
were  "made  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,"  who 
was  "made  of  God  unto  them  ....  justification  and 
sanctification."  (1  Cor.  i.  30.)  Could  the  human 
mind  conceive  the  idea  of  rendering  linen  garments 
■ivliite  by  washing  them  in  blood?  Never,  unless  as 
suggested  by  the  doctrine  of  Christ  crucified,  whose 
"blood  cleanseth  from  all  sin.''  (1  John  i.  7.) 
"Therefore  are  they  before  the  throne  of  God, — 
without  fault  before  his  throne,"  (ch.  xiv.  5.)  De- 
livered from  the  tempestuous  storms  of  war,  and  the 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  99 

scorching  heat  of  persecution ;  they  are  safe  in  the 
haven  of  eternal  rest. 

Not  only  are  they  for  ever  freed  from  the  sensation 
of  "hunger  or  thirst;''  but  they  shall  drink  of  the 
"living  fountains  of  waters,  proceeding  from  the 
throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb,''  (ch.  xxii.  1.)  "In 
thy  presence  is  fulness  of  joy ;  at  thy  right  hand  there 
are  pleasures  for  evermore."  (Ps.  xvi.  11.)  While 
this  company,  brought  out  of  great  tribulation,  to 
which  they  had  been  subjected  in  the  centuries  before 
the  time  of  Constantino,  are  represented  as  in  posses- 
sion of  eternal  blessedness,  the  other  company  of  the 
"sealed"  ones,  are  by  this  mark  furnished  with  the 
gifts  and  graces  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  enter  the  lists 
with  the  Dragon  in  a  much  more  try  ing  and  prolonged 
contest.  The  latter  company,  although  preceding 
the  other,  in  the  order  of  symbolic  revelation ;  do 
really  in  the  order  of  time,  succeed  them  in  continu- 
ation of  the  struggle  with  the  powers  of  darkness. 
And  here  we  make  the  general  remark.  That  nearly 
throughout  the  Apocalypse  the  two  parties  whom  we 
may  call  the  powers  of  darkness  and  the  children  of 
light,  often  change  their  relative  positions,  and  as- 
sume different  aspects.  And  in  this,  there  is  nothing 
new,  as  appears,  2  Cor.  xi.  14,  15;  vi.  8,  9. 


CHAPTER  YIII. 

Hitherto  our  observations  have  been  brief,  because 
interpreters  are  very  generally  agreed  in  their  views 
of  the  first  series,  the  seals,  in  this  interesting  book 
of  prophecy.  The  first  six  seals,  covering  the  time 
of  heathen   Rome's  opposition  to   Christianity,  and 


100  NOTES   ON 

before  the  Devil  succeeded  in  enlisting  the  nominal 
church  of  Christ  in  his  interest,  do  not  therefore 
furnish  occasion  for  much  controversy  among  exposi- 
tors. Besides,  the  seventh  seal  covers  much  more 
time  than  all  the  others.  The  first  six  refer  to  pagan 
Rome,  and  constitute  the  first  period,  properly  styled 
the  PERiOt)  OF  THE  SEALS.  The  Seventh  seal,  intro- 
ducing the  trumpets,  is  the  second  period,  called  the 
PERIOD  OF  THE  TRUxMPETS.  In  attempting  to  unfold 
their  mystical  import,  greater  amplification  will  be 
indispensable. 

1.  And  when  he  had  opened  the  seventh  seal,  there  was 
silence  in  heaven  about  the  space  of  half  an  hour. 

V.  1. — ''Heaven''  is  the  ordinary  symbol  of  orga- 
nized society,  whether  civil  or  ecclesiastical  or  both. 
"  Silence  in  heaven  for  half  an  hour,''  indicates  pub- 
lic tranquillity,  together  with  anxious  and  mute  ex- 
pectation  of  coming  and  alarming  events.  "Half  an  ^^ 
hour,"  a  definite  for  an  indefinite  duration,  as  usual, jT 
imports  that  the  repose  hitherto  enjoyed,  shall  shortly 
terminate.  The  respite  which  the  saints  enjoyed 
during  the  period  succeeding  the  revolution  indicated 
by  the  opening  of  the  sixth  seal,  soon  came  to  an 
end. 

2.  And  I  saw  the  seven  angels  which  stood  before  Gcd; 
and  to  them  were  given  seven  trumpets. 

3.  And  another  angel  came  and  stood  at  the  altar,  having 
a  golden  censer;  and  there  was  given  unto  him  much  incense, 
that  he  should  offer  it  with  the  prayers  of  all  saints  upon  the 
golden  altar  which  was  before  the  throne. 

4.  And  the  smoke  of  the  incense,  which  came  with  the 
prayers  of  the  saints,  ascended  up  before  God  out  of  the  an- 
gel's hand. 

Vs.  2-4. — "Seven  angels"  appear  to  John  as  mi- 
nisters "standing  before  God,"  ready  to  execute  his 
commands.     To  them  were  given  "seven  trumpets." 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  101 

Here,  as  all  along  hitherto,  there  is  allusion  to  the 
former  dispensation.  Under  the  Old  Testament, 
trumpets  were  constructed  by  divine  direction  and 
to  be  used  for  diverse  purposes.  Of  the  manifold 
uses  of  this  instrument,  that  which  is  here  chiefly 
intended  is,  to  "sound  an  alarm.''  (Joel  ii.  1;  1  Cor. 
xiv.  8.)  Whilst  all  is  suspense,  and  before  the  si- 
lence is  broken  by  the  sounding  of  the  first  trumpet, 
the  worship  of  God  is  exemplified  after  the  usual  man- 
ner. An  angel,  by  his  official  place  and  work  easily 
distinguished  from  those  having  the  trumpets,  holds 
in  his  hand  a  "golden  censer"  that  with  "much  in- 
cense'' he  might  render  acceptable  "the  prayers  of 
all  saints.''  As  the  anq^el  who  had  the  "seal  of  the 
living  God,"  is  distinguished  from  those  that  "held 
the  w^inds,''  (ch.  vii.  1;)  so  is  he  here,  from  those 
that  had  the  trumpets.  Here  he  appears  as  the  Great 
High  Priest  over  the  house  of  God;  and  as  "the 
whole  multitude  of  the  people  were  praying  without, 
at  the  time  of  incense;"  (Luke  i.  10;)  so  the  service 
of  God  is  thus  emblematically  represented  as  con- 
ducted according  to  divine  appointment.  This  Angel 
therefore  is  Christ  himself.  "No  man  cometh  unto 
the  Father  but  by  him.''  He  is  the  only  Advocate 
with  the  Father;  and  through  him  "we  have  access 
by  one  Spirit  unto  the  Father."   (Eph.  ii.  18.) 

May  we  not  inquire,  without  presumption,  a  little 
into  the  nature  or  purport  of  the  "  prayers  of  all 
saints"  at  this  time  of  ominous  silence?  And  what 
could  so  likely  be  the  burden  of  their  petitions  as 
that  of  the  cry  of  the  souls  under  the  altar,  namely, 
the  destruction  of  the  Roman  empire.''  Surely  this 
has  been  the  prayer  of  God's  persecuted  servants  in 
all  ages: — "Pour  out  thy  fury  upon  the  heathen,'' 
etc.  (Jer.  x.  25;  Ps.  Ixxix.  6.)  However  inconsis- 
tent with  Christian  charity  superficial  Christians  may 


102  NOTES    ON 

deem  the  law  of  retaliation;  ^ve  shall  find  it  often 

urged  on  our  attention  as  exemplified  in  this  book. 
It  is  absolutely  essential  to  the  divine  government. 

5.  And  the  angel  took  the  censer,  arid  filled  it  with  fire  of 
the  ahar,  and  ca>^t  it  into  the  earth:  and  there  were  voices, 
and  thunderings  and  lightnings  and  an  earthquake. 

V.  5. — The  Lord  Jesus,  in  carrying  out  the  de- 
signs of  the  divine  mind,  and  executing  the  commis- 
sion which  he  received  from  the  Father  as  Mediator, 
appears  in  various  characters.  Whilst  as  a  priest  he 
intercedes  for  his  people,  and  by  the  incense  from 
the  golden  censer  renders  their  prayers  acceptable 
before  God;  as  a  king  he  answers  their  prayers  by 
terrible  things  in  righteousness.  (Ps.  Ixv.  5.)  This 
work  of  vengeance  is  vividly  signified  by  scattering 
coals  of  fire  on  the  earth.  From  the  very  same  altar, 
whence  the  glorious  Angel  of  the  Covenant  had  re- 
ceived fire  to  consume  the  incense,  he  next  takes 
coals,  the  symbol  of  his  wrath,  and  scatters  them  into 
the  earth.  These  "burning  coals  of  juniper"  pro- 
duce "voices,  and  thunderings,  and  lightnings,  and 
an  earthquake."  "0  God,  thou  art  terrible  out  of 
thy  holy  places.''  (Ps.  Ixviii.  Sd;  Ixxvi.  12.)  "The 
Lord  our  God  is  a  jealous  God."  Our  merciful  Sa- 
viour once  put  a  strange  and  startling  question  to 
his  disciples: — "Suppose  ye  that  I  am  come  to  give 
peace  on  earth?  I  tell  you.  Nay." — For  ends  worthy 
of  himself,  the  only  wise  God  has  unchang^eably  de- 
creed that  "offences  must  needs  come,"  (Matt,  xviii. 
7  ;)  and  "there  must  be  also  heresies"  among  profess- 
ing Christians.  (1  Cor.  xi.  19.)  However,  in  the 
administration  of  providence,  judgment  without  mercy 
awaits  every  nation  to  which  the  gospel  is  sent  in 
vain.  The  voices,  thunderings,  etc.,  consequent  upon 
the  scattering  of  the  coals,  portended  the  calamities 
which  would  be  inflicted  upon  men  for  their  opposi- 


THE    AP0CALYP3E.  103 

tion  to  the  gospel  and  cruel  treatment  of  the  saints, 
in  answer  to  their  prayers  through  the  intercession  of 
Christ. 

6.  And  the  seven  angels,  which  had  the  seven  trumpets, 
prepared  themselves  to  sound. 

V.  6. — The  "seven  angels  now  prepare  themselves 
to  sound."  The  first  alarm,  of  course,  will  put  an 
end  to  the  "silence."  It  should  be  noted  that  while 
each  seal,  Avhen  broken,  disclosed  so  much  of  the  roll 
of  the  book  as  was  concealed  by  it;  the  seventh 
leaves  no  part  unrevealed.  The  whole  contents 
are  laid  open.  It  is  otherwise  with  the  trumpets. 
The  reverberations  of  one  may  not  have  ceased  when 
the  next  begins  to  sound.  Thus,  several  may  be 
partly  cotemporary.  Again,  it  may  be  questioned 
whether  mankind  are  to  be  considered  in  civil  or 
ecclesiastical  organization  as  the  formal  object  of 
the  judgments  indicated  by  the  trumpets.  Some  ex- 
positors view  the  one,  and  some  the  other,  as  the 
object,  and  the  contention  has  been  sharp  among 
them.  We  humbly  suggest  that  neither  is  the  for- 
mal object  without  the  other,  simply  because  the  same 
individuals  constitute  the  complex  moral  person.  The 
correctness  of  this  view  is  largely  illustrated  and 
abundantly  confirmed  in  the  subsequent  part  of  the 
Apocalypse.  Provinces,  nations,  empires,  are  no 
farther  worthy  of  notice  in  prophecy  than  as  they 
affect  the  destiny  of  the  church  and  illustrate  the  im- 
mutable principles  of  the  moral  government  of  God. 
He  is  known  by  the  judgments  which  he  executeth, 
and  nations  must  be  taught  that  "the  heavens  do 
rule."  (Dan.  iv.  26.)  Although  the  charch  and  the 
state  are,  by  divine  institution,  distinct,  not  united: 
they  are  nevertheless  co-ordinate,  and  always  exert 
a  reciprocal  influence  for  good  or  for  evil.  It  has 
been  the  policy  of  Satan  to  confound  this  distinction; 


104  NOTES    ON 

and  alas!  with  too  much  success  in  the  apprehension 
of  many.  There  are  not  wanting  divines  who  boldly 
assert,  that'  even  among  the  Jews,  under  the  Old 
Testament, — "the  church  was  the  state,  and  the 
state  was  the  church!"  We  may  have  occasion  to 
notice  hereafter,  that  this  gross  error  and  antichris- 
tian  dogma,  is  yet  entertained  in  relation  to  divinely 
organized  society  under  the  present  New  Testament 
economy! 

The  "voices,  thunderings  and  earthquakes''  re- 
sulting from  the  scattering  of  the  coals, — are  the 
harbingers  and  precursors  of  coming  calamities  upon 
Christendom  at  the  sounding  of  the  trumpets.  And 
these  may  be  emblematical  of  the  contentions,  strife 
and  divisions  which  accompanied  the  rise  and  preva- 
lence of  the  heresy  of  Arius  and  the  apostacy  of  the 
emperor  Julian,  during  the  time  of  comparative  pub- 
lic tranquillity  from  Constantino  to  Theodosius.  The 
church  and  the  state,  as  one  complex  system,  we  have 
considered  as  the  object  of  the  judgments  to  be  inflict- 
ed under  the  trumpets.  These  had,  in  fact,  become 
incorporated,  if  not  identified,  under  the  reign  of  Con- 
stantine  and  his  imperial  successors.  But  assuming 
the  correctness  of  the  phraseology  of  secular  histo- 
rians and  Christian  expositors,  when  in  a  popular 
sense  they  speak  of  the  Roman  empire  as  the  object 
of  penal  inflictions;  we  by  no  means  agree  with  the 
latter  class  of  writers,  when  they  limit  the  empire  to 
the  geographical  boundaries  as  it  existed  at  the  time 
of  this  prediction.  This  mistake,  if  not  detected  here, 
will  materially  affect  and  control  our  views  of  the  whole 
subsequent  part  of  the  Apocalypse.  Who  would  not 
discover  the  impropriety  and  absurdity  of  treating  of 
events  now  transpiring  within  the  empire  of  the  Uni- 
ted States,  as  if  falling  out  within  the  limits  of  the 
original  thirteen  as  they  existed  in  1776?     But  the 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  105 

Roman  empire  yet  exists,  and  we  have  sufficient  evi- 
dence that  it  will  continue  till  the  time  of  the  sound- 
ing of  the  seventh  trumpet,  (ch.  xi.  15.)  Political 
bias  has  prevailed  with  one  class  of  expositors  to 
exempt  the  British  empire  from  the  stroke  of  God's 
wrath,  symbolized  by  both  the  trumpets  and  vials. 
Others,  from  similar  predilections,  would  exempt  the 
United  States  and  British  Provinces  from  these 
plagues.  Whilst  a  third  class,  giving  fall  scope  to 
the  hallucinations  of  mere  imagination,  aver  their 
conviction  that  republican  America  is  the  special 
and  doomed  object  of  all  these  plagues! — Hence,  the 
necessity  of  caution,  sobriety,  reverence  for  divine 
authority,  reliance  on  the  teaching  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
whom  the  Saviour  has  promised  to  his  humble  disci- 
ples to  "guide  them  into  all  truth,  and  to  show  them 
things  to  come."  (John  xvi.  13.)  That  the  student 
of  prophecy, — especially  of  the  Apocalypse,  may  re- 
alize the  fulfilment  of  this  promise,  it  is  indispensably 
necessary  that  he  be  absolutely  untrammeled  by  all 
antichristian  politics.  Such  cases  are  very  rare,  (ch. 
xiii.  3.) 

During  the  reign  of  ConstaAtine,  that  monarch 
had  transferred  the  capital  of  the  empire  from  the 
"•city  of  seven  hills"  to  another  locality  and  founded 
another  metropolis,  which  as  the  future  seat  of  impe- 
rial rule,  and  to  immortalize  himself,  he  called  after 
his  own  name,  Constantinople.  This  ambitious  en- 
terprise itself  virtually  divided  the  empire,  preparing 
the  way  for  its  total  dismemberment  by  the  trumpets. 
And  now  the  "seven  angels  prepared  themselves  to 
sound,''  for  all  things  are  ready.  The  interceding 
Angel  at  the  "golden  altar''  has  prevailed  to  obtain 
a  period  of  tranquillity  whilst  preparatory  steps  are 
in  progress  towards  the  next  series  of  events ;  but 
that  time  shall  be  no  longer,  or  respite  from  impend- 


106  NOTES   ON 

ing  judojments,  is  significantly  intimated  by  the  sym- 
bolical Angel  casting  his  "golden  censer"  from  his 
hand,  and  hurling  it  into  the  earth.  Then  without 
farther  delay, 

7.  The  fiPvSt  angel  sounded,  and  there  followed  hail  and  fire 
mingled  witli  blood,  and  they  were  cast  upon  the  earth:  and 
the  third  part  of  trees  was  burnt  up,  and.  all  green  grass  was 
burnt  up. 

V.  7. — "The  first  angel  sounded."  The  object  of 
this  judgment  is  the  earthy  the  population  of  the  em- 
pire in  general.  The  judgment  itself  is,  "hail  and 
tire  mingled  with  blood," — desolating  wars,  like  suc- 
cessive storms  of  hail  mingled  with  lightning,  "hail- 
stones and  coals  of  fire."  (Ps.  xviii.  1*2.)  The  effect 
is,  a  consumption  of  a  third  part  of  the  "trees  and 
grass,"  people  in  high  and  low  degrees.  Green  trees 
and  grass  are  the  ornaments  and  products  of  a  land: 
and  when  the  earth  is  an  emblem  of  nations  and  do- 
minions, trees  and  grass  may  represent  persons  of 
higher  and  lower  rank. 

The  careful  student  of  the  Apocalypse  will  discover 
a  striking  analogy  between  the  effects  of  the  trumpets 
and  vials  as  the  latter  are  presented  in  the  sixteenth 
chapter.  This  first  trumpet  therefore  produces  an 
effect  upon  the  social  order  of  Christendom,  w^hich  will 
continue  till  the  pouring  out  of  the  first  vial.  As  the 
Roman  empire  in  its  twofold  division  is  the  general 
object  of  all  the  trumpets;  so  the  first  four  are  di- 
rected towards  the  western,  anrl  the  next  two  against 
the  eastern  member. 

The  infidel  historian  Gibbon  has  unwittingly  re- 
corded the  fulfilment  of  these  predictions,  as  Josephus 
has  done  those  of  our  Lord  respecting  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem.  Unconscious  that  he  was  bearing  tes- 
timony to  the  truth  of  prophecy,  Gibbon  used  with 
his  classic  pen   the  very  allegorical  language  of  the 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  ]07 

inspired  apostle.  Respecting  the  incursion  of  the 
barbarous  Goths,  as  led  bj  Alaric  their  chief  into 
the  fertile  plains  of  southern  Europe,  he  describes 
their  alarminn:  descent  as  a  ''''dark  cloud,  which 
liaving  collected  alongHhe  coasts  of  the  Baltic,  burst 
in  thunder  upon  the  banks  of  the  upper  Danube.'' 
He  who  directed  Balaam  and  Caiaphas  to  utter  pre- 
dictions, doubtless  could  direct  Josephus  and  Gibbon 
to  attest  the  truth  of  prophecy ;  and  this  may  be  one 
of  the  many  ways  in  which  "he  makes  the  wrath  of 
man  to  praise  him.'' — The  Goths,  the  Scythians  and 
Huns,  first  under  Alaric  and  afterwards  under  Attila, 
those  savage  warriors  from  the  northern  regions,  in- 
vaded the  provinces  of  the  Roman  empire  in  both 
sections,  carrying  all  before  them  like  an  irresistible 
tornado, — with  fire  and  sword  utterly  destroying 
cities,  temples,  princes,  priests,  old  and  young,  male 
and  female, -^ — thus  "burning  up  trees,  and  green 
grass.'' 

8.  And  the  second  angpl  sounded,  and  as  it  were  a  great 
mountain  burning  with  fire  was  cast  into  the  sea;  and  the 
the  third  part  of  the  sea  became  blood: 

9.  And  the  third  part  of  the  creatures  which  were  in  the 
sea,  and  had  life,  died;  and  the  third  part  of  the  ships  were 
destroyed. 

Ys.  8,  9. — "The  second  angel  sounded."  The  ob- 
ject of  this  judgment,  is  the  sea.  As  a  great  collec- 
tion of  waters,  this  symbol  is  explained,  (ch.  xvii.  15.) 
"Peoples,  and  multitudes,  and  nations,  and  tongues," 
indicate  the  population  in  an  agitated  and  disorga- 
nized or  revolutionary  condition.  The  judgment  is 
a  "burning  mountain,"  a  tremendous  object, — con- 
suming and  being  itself  consumed.  The  mountain  is 
a  symbol  of  earthly  power  civil  or  military,  and  some- 
times ecclesiastical. — "Who  art  thou,  0  great  moun- 
tain.^" (Zech.  iv.  7.)     The    Almighty   says   to    the 


108  NOTES    ON 

king  of  Babylon, — ^'Behold,  I  am  against  thee,  0 

destroying  mountain I  will  roll  thee  down 

from  the  rocks,  and  will  make  thee  a  burnt  moun- 
tain." (Jer.  li.  25;  Ps.  xlviii.  2.) 

The  consequence  of  this  judgment  is,  the  third 
part  of  the  sea  became  blood,  the  fish  perished,  and 
the  shipping  was  destroyed.  Similar  language,  il- 
lustrating these  figurative  expressions,  had  been  used 
by  the  prophets  to  represent  divine  judgments  de- 
nounced against  Egyptian  power.  (Ezek.  xxix.  3,  etc.) 
In  the  eighth  verse  is  contained  the  explanation  of  the 
symbolic  language, — "Behold  I  will  bring  a  sword 
upon  thee,  and  cut  off  man  and  beast  from  thee." 

History  verifies  this  part  of  the  Apocalyptic  pre- 
diction. Only  two  years  after  the  death  of  that 
northern  "scourge  of  God,"  Attila,  who  boasted  that 
*' the  grass  never  grew  where  his  horse  had  trod;" 
Genseric  set  sail  from  the  burning  shores  of  Africa ; 
and,  like  a  burning  mountain  launched  into  the  sea, 
accompanied  by  a  vast  army  of  barbarous  Vandals, 
suddenly  landed  his  fleet  at  the  mouth  of  the  river 
Tiber.  Disreo;ardinor  the  distinctions  of  rank,  ao;e 
or  sex,  these  licentious  and  brutal  plunderers  sub- 
jected their  helpless  victims  to  every  species  of  in- 
dignity and  cruelty.  Hence  the  hostility  to  arts 
and  science,  the  tokens  of  refined  civilization, — in- 
discriminate devastation  of  life  and  property  perpe- 
trated by  the  savage  warriors,  has  given  rise  to  the 
word  "Vandalism." 

10.  And  the  third  angel  sounded,  and  there  fell  a  great 
star  from  heaven,  burning  as  it  were  a  lamp,  and  it  fell  upon 
the  third  part  of  the  rivers,  and  upon  the  fountains  of  waters; 

11.  And  the  name  of  the  ptar  is  called  AVormwood:  and 
the  third  part  of  the  waters  became  wormwood;  and  many 
men  died  of  the  waters,  because  they  were  made  bitter. 

Vs.  10,  11. — The  object  of  the  third  trumpet  is 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  109 

the  waters  as  before, — the  population  of  the  empire, 
but  not  in  collective  form  as  a  sea;  rather  in  a 
state  of  separation  or  disconnected,  as  "rivers  and 
fountains.''  Some  apply  this  symbol  of  a  *' falling 
star"  to  Genseric,  but  this  is  incongruous.  On  the 
contrary,  he  was  a  victorious  prince, — a  rising  star. 
It  is  more  consonant  to  the  truth  of  history  and  the 
chronological  series  of  prophecy,  to  apply  this  symbol 
to  the  downfall  of  Momyllus  the  last  of  the  Roman 
emperors,  who  was  deposed  by  Odoacer  king  of  the 
Heruli,  called  in  derision  Augustulus, — the  diminu- 
tive Augustus.  Doubtless  the  allusion  here  is  to  the 
king  of  Babylon: — *'How  art  thou  fallen  from  hea- 
ven, 0  Lucifer,  (day-star,)  son  of  the  morning!  How 
art  thou  cut  down  to  the  ground,  which  didst  weaken 
the  nations!"  (Isa.  xiv.  12.)  A  star  may  indeed 
signify  either  a  civil  or  ecclesiastical  officer,  but  the 
scope  and  context  determine  all  these  judgments  to 
the  enemies  of  the  church,  and  those  of  her  illustrious 
Head.  It  is  the  "vengeance  of  his  temple.''  We 
have  already  found  a  star  the  emblem  of  a  gospel 
minister,  and  we  shall  hereafter  find  it  employed  in 
that  sense;  but  it  does  not  seem  to  refer  in  the  pre- 
sent connexion  to  any  apostate.  The  name  of  this 
star, — "Wormwood,"  embittering  the  waters,  is  a 
lively  emblem  of  the  miseries  experienced  by  the  peo- 
ple, in  the  use  of  the  remaining  temporal  comforts 
which  the  preceding  calamities  had  left. 

12.  And  the  fourth  anc^el  sounded,  and  the  third  part  of 
the  sun  was  smitten,  and  the  third  part  of  the  moon,  and  the 
third  part  of  the  stars-,  so  as  the  third  part  of  them  was  dark- 
ened, and  the  day  shone  not  for  a  third  part  of  it,  and  the 
night  likewise. 

V.  12. — The  design  of  all  the  trumpets  is  to  point 
out  the  utter  destruction  of  the  Roman  empire, — Da- 
niel's "kingdom  of  iron."    (Dan.  ii.  40.)     For  al- 
8 


110  NOTES    ON 

though  from  the  time  of  Constantine  it  assumed  the 
Christian  name,  it  nevertheless  continued  to  be  a 
beast.  Of  this  we  shall  have  cumulative  evidence 
as  we  progress.  The  first  trumpet  began  to  demo- 
lish the  fabric  of  antichristian  power;  and  by  the 
fourth  the  western  division  was  overthrown.  For  al- 
though the  northern  barbarians  under  the  first,  the 
southern  Vandals  under  the  second,  and  the  succes- 
sors of  both,  prevailed  to  bring  down  the  last  of  the 
Caesars,  yet  the  ancient  frame  of  government  still 
subsisted.  The  political  heaven,  though  shaken,  was 
not  yet  wholly  removed,  while  the  Senate,  Consuls 
and  other  official  dignitaries  continued  to  shine  as 
political  luminaries  in  the  firmament  of  power.  But 
as  the  last  of  the  Cjesars  fell  from  power  in  the  year 
476,  so  the  last  vestige  of  imperial  dominion  in  the 
west  was  removed  in  566,  when  Rome,  the  queen  of 
the  nations,  was  by  the  emperor  of  the  east  reduced 
to  the  humble  condition  of  a  tributary  dukedom. 
Most  of  the  saints  had  their  residence  at  this  time  in 
the  nations  of  western  Europe  and  northern  Africa, 
where  they  were  grievously  afflicted  by  the  Arian, 
Pelagian  and  other  heresies ;  as  also  exposed  to  per- 
secution by  the  civil  powers,  whom  those  heresiarchs 
moved  to  oppress  the  orthodox:  consequently,  the 
righteous  judgments  of  God  fall  first  upon  that  mem- 
ber of  the  empire.  The  eastern  section,  how^ever,  is 
destined  to  become  the  special  object  of  the  judg- 
ments indicated  by  the  succeeding  trumpets.  How- 
ever interpreters  differ  in  details  Avhen  explaining  the 
effects  produced  by  the  sounding  of  the  first  four 
trumpets,  they  very  generally  harmonize  in  the  appli- 
cation of  them  to  the  western  section  of  the  Roman 
empire.  The  luminaries  of  heaven  are  darkened,  or 
fall,  or  are  extinguished,  while  the  earth,  the  sea  and 
the  rivers  are  correspondently  affected.     Now,  these 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  Ill 

are  the  well  known  alleo^orical  representations  of  divine 
judicial  visitations  of  guilty  communities,  as  we  find 
in  the  prophetic  writings.  See,  for  example,  the  case 
of  Babylon,  "the  beauty  of  the  Chaldees'  excellency,'' 
(Isa.  xiii.  1,  10;)  also  Egypt, — (Ezek.  xxxii.  7,  8.) 

13.  And  I  beheld,  and  heard  an  angel  flying  through  the 
midst  of  heaven,  saying  with  a  loud  voice,  Woe,  woe,  woe,  to 
the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  by  reason  of  the  other  voice^s 
of  the  trumpet  of  the  three  angels,  which  are  yet  to  sound! 

•  V.  13. — Before  the  fifth  angel  sounds,  a  note  of 
warning  is  given  by  the  ministry,  of  another  angel  dis- 
tinct from  the  seven  with  the  trumpets.  He  pro- 
nounces a  "woe"  thrice  repeated,  upon  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  earth,  indicating  that  heavier  judgments 
and  of  longer  duration  are  about  to  be  intiicted. 
This  announcement  was  intended  to  excite  attention 
and  awful  expectation.  This  angel's  message  of 
"heavy  tidings"  may  be  viewed  in  quite  interesting 
contrast  with  that  of  a  subsequent  angel, — "flying 
through  the  midst  of  heaven,"  (ch.  xiv.  6.)  How- 
different,  yet  harmonious,  is  the  ministry  of  those  hea- 
venly messengers! 

The  first  four  trumpets,  as  we  have  seen,  demo- 
lished the  western  division  of  the  Roman  empire. 
About  the  middle  of  the  sixth  century  this  work  was 
brought  to  completion.  Here,  for  greater  clearness, 
w^e  may  be  allowed  to  anticipate  by  digressing  a  lit- 
tle. Assuming  now,  what  shall  afterwards  appear  to 
be  correct,  that  the  Roman  empire  is  Daniel's  fourth 
universal  monarchy,  and  Paul's  "let,"  or  hinderance, 
to  the  revealing  of  the  "Man  of  Sin;''  since  the  first 
four  trumpets  have  dismembered  that  great  power, 
revealing  the  "ten  toes, — ten  horns,''  or  kingdoms; 
we  would  expect  now  to  hear  of  the  destruction  of  that 
"  Son  of  perdition.''  But  it  is  not  so.  That  is  to  be 
effected  by  the  vials,  (ch.  xvi.)     As  the  general  and 


112  NOTES    ON 

grand  design  of  the  Apocalypse  is  to  illustrate  the  di- 
vine government,  exhibiting  the  moral  world  as  af- 
fecting, or  affected  by  the  Christian  religion,  it  seemed 
good  to  the  Divine  Author  that  the  destinies  of  the 
eastern  section  of  the  Roman  empire  yet  standing, 
where  many  of  his  saints  reside,  shall  come  under  re- 
view. Ecclesiastical  history  treats  familiarly  of  a 
Grreek^  as  well  as  a  Latin  church  and  empire.  As 
the  trumpets  cover  the  whole  time  from  the  opening 
of  the  sixth  seal  till  the  final  overthrow  of  the  whole 
fourth  monarchy;  (Dan.  vii.  26;  Rev.  xi.  15,)  it  fol- 
lows that  the  eastern  section  must  be  the  object  of  a 
part  of  them.  Accordingly,  the  remaining  part  of 
the  second  period, — the  Period  of  tlie  Trumpets,  in- 
cludes the  first  two  of  the  three,  emphatically  and 
significantly  styled  "woe-trumpets." 


CHAPTER  IX. 

1.  And  the  fifth  angel  sounded,  and  I  saw  a  star  fall  from 
heaven  unto  the  earth:  and  to  him  was  given  the  key  of  the 
bottomless  pit. 

2.  And  he  opened  the  bottomless  pit;  and  there  arose  a 
a  smoke  out  of  the  pit,  as  the  smoke  of  a  great  furnace;  and 
the  sun  and  the  air  were  darkened  by  reason  of  the  smt>ke  of 
the  pit. 

3.  And  there  came  out  of  the  smoke  locusts  upon  the  earth ; 
and  unto  them  was  given  power,  as  the  scorpions  of  the  earth 
have  power. 

4.  And  it  was  commanded  them  that  they  should  not  hurt 
the  grass  of  the  earth,  neither  an}'  green  thing,  neither  any 
tree;  but  only  those  men  which  have  not  the  seal  of  God  in 
their  foreheads. 

5.  And  to  thom  it  was  given  that  thoy  should  not  kill  them, 
but  that  they  should  be  tormented  five  months:  and  their  tor- 
ment was  as  the  torment  of  a  scorpion,  when  he  striketh  a 
man. 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  113 

6.  And  in  those  days  shall  men  seek  death,  and  shall  not 
find  it;  and  shall  desire  to  die,  and  death  shall  flee  from 
them. 

7.  And  the  shapes  of  the  locusts  were  like  unto  horses  pre- 
pared unto  battle;  and  on  their  heads  were  as  it  were  crowns 
like  gold,  and  their  faces  were  as  the  faces  of  men. 

8.  And  they  had  hair  as  the  hair  of  women,  and  their  teeth 
were  as  the  teeth  of  lions. 

9.  And  they  had  breastplates,  as  it  were  breastplates  of 
iron;  and  the  sound  of  their  wings  was  as  the  sound  of  cha- 
riots of  many  horses  running;  to  battle. 

10.  And  they  had  tails  like  unto  scorpions;  and  there  were 
stings  in  their  tails:  and  their  power  was  to  hurt  men  five 
months. 

11.  And  they  had  a  king  over  them,  which  is  the  angel  of 
the  bottomless  pit,  whose  name  in  the  Hebrew  tongue  is 
Abaddon,  but  in  the  Greek  tongue  hath  his  name  Apollyon. 

Vs.  1-11. — The  scene  of  the  events  announced  by 
the  sounding  of  the  first  "woe-trumpet,''  is  the  east- 
ern Roman  empire.  A  variety  of  symbols  is  here 
employed  to  represent  the  judgment  to  be  inflicted. 
The  principal  agents  and  events  are, — a  '*  star,  lo- 
custs, Apollyon  their  king,  their  depredations,  the 
time  of  their  continuance." 

Neither  Boniface  III.  nor  Mahomet  answers  to  the 
symbol  "falling  star.''  Allowing  that  a  star,  as  a 
symbol,  may  represent  a  person  in  either  civil  or  ec- 
clesiastical office,  no  successful  aspirants  to  places  of 
power,  as  both  of  these  were,  can  be  here  understood. 
Obviously  degradation  and  not  elevation  is  intended. 
Either  dethronement  of  a  prince  or  apostacy  of  a 
theological  dignitary  must  be  intended. 

No  character  in  history  at  the  time  referred  to,  so 
well  agrees  to  the  symbol  of  a  fallen  star  as  the  monk 
Sergius,  who  is  known  to  have  been  the  coadjutor  of 
Mahomet,  He  had  been  a  monk  of  the  Christian 
sect  called  Nestorians  from  Nestorius  their  leader. 
This  monk  Sergius  had  been  excommunicated  for 
heresy  and  immorahty.     He  was  glad  to  serve  the 


114  NOTES   ON 

devil  as  dictator  to  Mahomet  in  composing  the  Koran, 
"which  bears  internal  evidence  of  having  been  written 
by  one  who  was  acquainted  with  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
tures. When  this  degraded  man  had  finished  his 
task,  he  was  put  to  death  by  his  master,  lest  he  should 
betray  the  imposture. 

He  opened  the  bottomless  pit,  from  which  issued 
a  smoke  darkening  the  whole  face  of  the  heavens. 
The  pit  is  hell,  whence  came  the  smoke, — the  dia- 
bolical system  of  delusion.  From  the  same  place 
comes  the  character  afterwards  to  appear  under  the 
aspect  of  a  beast,,  (ch.  xi.  7.)  Locusts  constituted 
one  of  the  plagues  of  Egypt,  and  they  are  the  emblem 
of  a  destroying  army.  (Exod.  x.  14-19;  Joel  i.  4-6.) 
And  this  is  their  import  here.  They  represent  the 
deluded  and  destructive  followers  of  Mahomet,  who 
in  vast  multitudes  laid  waste  the  nations  of  western 
Asia,  southern  Europe,  and  northern  Africa.  The 
Saracens,  originating  in  Arabia,  the  national  locality 
of  the  literal  locusts,  in  great  multitudes  like  clouds, 
laid  waste  the  fairest  and  most  populous  portions  of 
the  earth  for  a  succession  of  ages. 

These  symbolic  locusts  have  also  the  property  of 
scorpions,  a  poisonous  reptile,  resembling  in  some  de- 
gree a  lizard  combined  with  a  lobster,  armed  with  a 
sting  in  the  end  of  its  tail.  Wicked  and  impenitent 
men  are  compared  to  scorpions.  (Ezek.  ii.  6.)  But 
these  locusts  are  under  restraint.  They  are  permitted 
to  hurt  only  "those  men  which  have  not  the  seal  of 
God  in  their  foreheads.''  The  time  of  their  continu- 
ance is  "five  months,"  of  thirty  days  each,  making 
150  years, — "a  day  for  a  year."  (Ezek.  iv.  6.)  In 
the  year  606,  Mahomet  began  his  imposture  by  re- 
tiring to  the  cave  of  Hera.  In  612  he  appeared 
publicly  as  the  apostle  of  his  new  religion  at  the  head 
of  his  deluded  followers.     Between  612  and  762,  he 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  115 

and  the  warlike  chiefs  who  succeeded  him,  overran 
with  terrible  destruction,  Syria,  Persia,  India,  Egypt 
and  Spain.  Although  the  Saracenic  empire  con- 
tinued for  a  longer  time,  yet  from  this  time  it  lost  the 
disorderly  Locust  character  and  because  a  more  set- 
tled commonwealth.  In  the  year  762,  the  city  of 
Bagdad  was  built  by  one  of  the  caliphs,  who  called 
it  "the  city  of  peace."  This  put  a  stop  to  the  de- 
vastations of  the  locusts,  when  the  empire  began  to 
decline.  It  was  foretold,  however,  that  durmg  the 
time  of  successful  war  by  these  cruel  invaders,  they 
would  inflict  such  miseries  upon  their  wretched  vic- 
tims, that  they  would  earnestly  but  vainly  desire 
death  to  put  an  end  to  their  exquisite  torments.  It 
is  farther  said  that  these  locusts  resembled  horses,  as 
indeed  they  do,  especially  in  their  heads.  The  Ara- 
bians excelled  in  horsemanship,  and  their  chief  force 
lay  in  cavalry.  The  "crowns  upon  their  heads'' 
may  refer  to  the  turbans  worn  by  the  Arabians  as 
part  of  their  national  costume ;  or  to  the  kingdoms 
which  they  subdued.  Flowing  hair  is  also  characteris- 
tic of  these  people.  Their  "teeth"  like  those  of 
lions  indicated  their  strength  and  fury  to  destroy. 
"Breast-plates  of  iron," — defensive  armour,  indicates 
self-protection  by  the  most  effectual  public  measures. 
The  sound  of  their  winsjs  may  denote  the  fury  of  their 
assaults,  and  the  rapidity  of  their  conquests.  But  the 
deadly  stings  in  their  tails  were  their  most  fatal  in- 
struments of  torture,  symbolizing  the  poison  of  their 
abominable  and  ruinous  religion. 

Their  king  is  "Abaddon  or  Apollyon,"  the  de- 
stroyer: for  so  is  his  name  by  interpretation,  both  in 
Hebrew  and  Greek.  He  is  from  the  "bottomless 
pit," — from  hell,  the  vicegerent  of  the  devil.  Ma- 
homet in  person,  and  in  the  person  of  his  official  suc- 
cessors, will  alone  answer  to  this  duplicate  symbol. 


116  NOTES    ON 

This  is,  without  a  rational  shadow  of  ground  for  con- 
troversy, the  Great  Eastern  Antichrist^  sufficiently 
distinguished  from  the  Western.  The  western  com- 
bination against  real  Christianity  never  attained  to 
power  by  successful  conquest  of  the  nations;  but  on 
the  contrary  by  chicanery,  insidious  poUcy,  flattery 
of  princes  and  priestcraft.  This  enemy  is  described 
with  sufficient  accuracy  and  peculiar  precision  in  the 
subsequent  part  of  the  Apocalypse.  Prophecy  has 
a  determinate  meaning;  and  we  are  not  at  liberty  to 
give  loose  reins  to  our  imagination:  otherwise  we 
shall  bewilder,  rather  than  satisfy  the  devout  and 
earnest  inquirer. 

12.  One  woe  is  past:  and,  behold,  there  come  two  woes 
more  hereafter. 

V.  12. — Before  the  time  of  the  sixth  trumpet,  in- 
timation is  given  that  some  pause  shall  intervene 
prior  to  the  judgments  which  are  to  follow: — "One 
woe  is  past." — The  object  of  the  first  woe  is  the  nomi- 
nally Christian  Roman  empire,  which  still  stands  in 
its  Eastern  section;  and  is  to  be  totally  demolished 
by  the  second  woe- trumpet:  for  the  Western  section, 
recovering  from  the  effects  of  the  first  four  trumpets, 
is  the  object  of  the  third  and  last  woe.  The  "man 
of  Sin," — the  "little  horn"  of  Daniel,  is  actuating 
the  "ten  horns''  to  "scatter  Judah,"  etc.,  during  the 
time  of  the  Mahometan  conquests  in  the  East;  by 
which  the  whole  Roman  empire  is  ripening  for  the 
harvest  of  the  vials  of  wrath. 

13.  And  the  sixth  angel  sounded,  and  I  heard  a  voice  from 
the  four  horns  of  the  golden  altar  which  is  before  God, 

14.  Saying  to  the  sixth  angel  which  had  the  trumpet,  Loose 
the  four  angels  which  are  bound  in  the  great  river  Euphrates. 

15.  And  the  four  angels  were  loosed,  which  were  prepared 
for  an  hour,  and  a  day,  and  a  mouth,  and  a  year,  for  to  slay 
the  third  part  of  men. 

16.  And  the  number  of  the  army  of  the  horsemen  were  two 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  117 

hundred  thousand  thousand;    and  I   heard    the  number  of 
thera. 

17.  And  thus  I  saw  the  horses  in  the  vision,  and  them  that 
sat  on  them,  having  breastplates  of  fire,  and  of  jacinth,  and 
brimstdne:  and  the  heads  of  the  horses  were  as  the  heads  of 
lions;  and  out  of  their  mouths  issued  fire,. and  smoke,  and 
brimstone. 

18.  By  these  three  was  the  third  part  of  men  killed,  by  the 
fire,  and  by  the  smoke,  and  by  the  brimstone,  which  issued 
out  of  their  mouths. 

19.  For  their  power  is  in  their  mouth,  and  in  their  tails; 
for  their  tails  were  like  unto  serpents,  and  had  heads,  and 
with  them  they  do  hurt. 

Vs.  13-19. — At  the  sounding  of  the  sixth  trum- 
pet, a  "voice  comes  from  the  four  horns  of  the  golden 
altar,''  the  immediate  presence  of  the  Almighty. 
This  indicates  punishment  to  be  inflicted  upon  men 
for  corrupting  the  gospel,  similar  to  the  judgment  of 
fire  from  the  "golden  censer,'''  (ch.  viii.  5.)  The 
effects  of  the  first  woe  may  be  supposed  to  reach  from 
the  early  part  of  the  seventh  century  to  the  latter 
part  of  the  thirteenth, — the  period  of  Arabian  locusts. 
During  the  latter  part  of  this  time,  the  Turks 
were  held  in  check  by  the  Crusaders,  who  strove 
to  wrest  the  Holy  Land  from  the  infidels.  The 
"four  angels''  are  the  four  Turkish  Sultanies.  The 
river  Euphrates  is  to  be  taken  in  this  place  literally, 
as  designating  the  geographical  locality  of  these  com- 
bined powers,  which  were  the  instruments  employed 
by  the  enthroned  Mediator,  to  demolish  the  remain- 
ing part  of  the  Roman  empire, — "the  third  part  of 
men."  The  time  occupied  in  this  barbarous  work 
of  slaughter  is  "an  hour,  a  day,  a  month  and  a  year," 
about  equal  to  391  years;  or  from  the  year  1281  to 
1672.  The  Western  empire  had  been  overthrown 
by  the  first  four  trumpets,  the  Eastern  nearly  ruined 
under  the  fifth;  and  under  the  sixth  it  was  finally 
subverted.     The  numbers  which  the  Turks  brought 


118  NOTES   ON 

into  the  field  are  here  said  to  be  ''two  hundred  thou- 
sand thousand,'' — a  definite  for  an  indefinite  number 
as  usual,  a  vast  army.  And  historians  tell  us  that 
they  were,  in  fact,  from  four  to  seven  hundred  thou- 
sand, and  a  large  proportion  of  them  cavalry. 

From  the  year  1672,  one  of  their  own  historians 
dates  the  *' Decay  of  the  Othman  empire!"  Since 
that  date,  the  Turkish  power  is  well  known  to  have 
been  straitened  by  the  Russian  empire. 

These  eastern  warriors  and  their  horses  are  de- 
scribed by  their  military  costume  and  their  arms. 
Fire  is  red^  jacinth  hliie^  and  brimstone  yellow^ — 
the  chosen  colors  of  the  Ottoman  warriors,  their  mi- 
litary uniform.  The  heads  of  their  horses  "as  the 
heads  of  lions,"  denote  strength,  fierceness  and  cru- 
elty. "Fire,  smoke  and  brimstone  issuing  out  of 
their  mouths,"  may  be  supposed  to  indicate  the  em- 
ployment of  gunpowder,  first  invented  about  that 
time,  as  an  element  of  destruction.  The  commander 
at  the  siege  of  Constantinople  is  said  to  have  employed 
cannon,  some  of  which  were  of  such  caliber  as  to  send 
stones  of  three  hundred  pounds  weight!  Thus  their 
power  was  in  their  "mouth:''  but  like  the  locusts, 
they  had  in  their  tails  power  to  do  hurt,'' — the 
deadly  poison  of  the  Koran.  The  Turks  left  behind 
them  wherever  they  went,  as  the  Saracens  had  done 
before,  the  poisonous  and  ruinous  religion  of  Maho- 
met, more  durable  and  injurious  to  men  than  all  their 
bloody  conquests.  By  this  abominable  system  of  de- 
lusion, the  remains  of  the  Greek  church  in  the  East- 
ern division  of  the  Roman  empire,  were  almost 
extirpated;  Christianity  was  nearly  extinguished  in 
that  part  of  the  world  where  the  gospel  had  shone 
brightly,  and  there  Mahometanism  continues  till  the 
present  day.  Such  has  been  the  desolating  effect  of 
the  sixth, — the  second  woe  trumpet.  Thus  the  Judge 
of  all  the  earth  punishes  impenitent  communities. 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  119 

Besides  the  positive  effects  of  the  second  wo,  we 
have  intimation  of  son:ie  that  are  negative  in  the  close 
of  this  chapter. 

20.  And  the  rest  of  the  men,  which  were  not  killed  by 
these  plaj^ue^,  yet  repented  not  of  the  works  of  their  hands, 
that  they  should  not  worship  devils,  and  idols  of  gold,  and 
silver,  and  brass,  and  stone,  and  of  wood;  which  neither 
can  see,  nor  hear,  nor  walk: 

21.  Neither  repented  they  of  their  murders,  nor  of  their 
sorceries,  nor  of  their  fornication,  nor  of  their  thefts. 

Vs.  20,  21. — The  ''rest  of  the  men  that  were  not 
killed  by  these  plagues,"  or  morally  destroyed  by 
becoming  Mahometans,  by  the  foregoing  calamities, 
were  not  brought  to  repentance  of  their  evil  deeds. 
The  population  of  the  Western  Latin  empire  and 
nominal  Christian  church,  still  persisted  in  their 
idolatries  and  immoralities.  Both  individually  and 
as  associated,  they  openly  violated  both  tables  of  the 
moral  law.  It  is  evident  from  these  two  verses,  that 
the  sins  enumerated  in  them  were  the  procuring 
causes  of  the  divine  judgments  symbolized  by  the 
trumpets, — the  two  woe-trumpets,  all  the  trumpets, — 
yes,  including  the  seventh  and  the  last.  Professing 
Christians  both  in  the  Greek  and  Latin  churches, 
after  all  the  plagues  inflicted  by  the  angels  of  the 
past  six  trumpets,  continue  to  this  day  in  the  practice 
of  worshipping  demons,  angels  and  saints,  for  which 
they  can  produce  no  better  arguments  than  their 
Pagan  predecessors  whom  the  Lord  charges  with 
"  worshipping  devils''  here  and  elsewhere.  (1  Cor.  x. 
20;  Ps.  cvi.  87.)  In  their  stupid  worship  of  sense- 
less images,  consecration  of  places,  etc.,  who  cannot 
perceive  the  identity  of  modern  Papists  and  prelates 
with  those  portrayed  by  the  pen  of  inspiration  in  the 
passage  before  us  ?  The  horrible  "  murders,"  massa- 
cres and  bloody  persecutions  of  the  saints,  are  verified 


120  NOTES   ON 

in  authentic  history.  Papal  bulls,  imperial  and  royal 
edicts,  issued  against  heretics^  answer  to  the  second 
part  of  this  awful  picture.  Then  follow  "sorceries," 
plainly  pointing  out  pretended  revelations,  false  mira- 
cles, etc.  To  these  are  to  be  added  "fornications,'' 
corporeal  and  spiritual,  in  a  mass  of  superstitions 
added  to,  or  supplanting  divine  ordinances;  together 
with  vows  of  celibacy,  monkeries  and  nunneries, — fol- 
lowed by  public  license  of  brothels.  And  finally, — 
"thefts/'  By  these  are  to  be  understood  the  illegal 
exactions  and  oppressive  impositions,  by  which  the 
nations  of  Christendom  have  been  plundered  of  their 
revenues  to  enrich  the  lordly  hierarchy  of  apostate 
Christendom.  This  state  of  things  still  continuing 
after  the  sixth  angel  sounds  his  trumpet,  and  no  evi- 
dence of  repentance;  who  can  doubt  that  the  same 
community  is  yet  to  be  visited  with  the  "third  woe?" 
Surely  the  Lord  may  justly  still  say, — "For  three 
transgressions,  and  for  four,  (of  Antichrist,)  I  will 
not  turn  away  the  punishment  thereof.''  The  eastern 
church,  in  which  the  first  corruptions  prevailed,  was 
punished  by  the  first  woe  of  the  Saracens;  and  this 
not  producing  repentance,  her  ruin  was  completed  by 
the  second  ivo  of  the  Ottomans.  So,  when  God  judges, 
he  will  overcome;  therefore  the  western  church,  still 
persisting  in  her  abominations,  without  repentance, 
shall  be  destroyed  by  the  third  ivoe.  Let  not  the 
pious  reader  suppose  that  by  these  penal  inflictions 
on  churches,  the  church  of  Christ  is  to  perish.  No, 
no.  But,  on  the  contrary,  their  overthrow  is  subser- 
vient to  her  preservation.  This  also  will  appear 
with  increasing  evidence  as  we  proceed  with  our  me- 
ditations on  this  instructive  book. 

In  the  mean  time  it  may  be  well  to  remark  here, 
at  the  close  of  those  woes  which  developed  the  rise 
and  progress  of  Mahometanism,  that  the  creed  of  this 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  121 

religious  sect  is  substantially  the  same  as  tliat  of 
those  Christians  called  Socinians.  Both  presumptu- 
ously and  arrogantly  claim  to  be  the  worshippers  of 
the  one  Grod, — commonly  called  Unitarians.  This 
is  one  of  the  "depths  of  Satan.''  All  whb  worship, 
as  well  as  believe  in,  three  co-equal  Divine  Persons, 
Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost,  believe  in,  and  worship 
one  God,  and  in  this  sense  are  Unitarians, — the  only 
scriptural  Unitarians.  "  Whosoever  denieth  the  Son, 
the  same  hath  not  the  Father.''  (IJohn  ii.  23.)  And 
the  same  is  true  of  such  who  ''have  not  so  much  as 
heard  whether  there  be  any  Holy  Ghost."  (Acts  xix. 
2.)  "  He  is  Antichrist  that  denieth  the  Father  and 
the  Son," — a  deceiver  and  an  Antichrist.  It  is  doubt- 
less in  view  of  these  soul-ruining  heresies,  that  the 
beloved  disciple  tendered  the  caution, — "Little  chil- 
dren, keep  yourselves  from  idols."  (1  John  v.  21.) 

We  would  expect  the  tenth  chapter  to  begin  with 
the  sounding  of  the  seventh  trumpet;  but  we  find  it 
is  not  so.  Indeed,  we  shall  not  find  any  direct  inti- 
mation of  the  work  of  the  seventh  angel  till  we  come 
to  the  fourteenth  verse  of  the  eleventh  chapter.  The 
sixth  trumpet  continues  to  reverberate  throughout 
Christendom  for  centuries;  and  during  the  interme- 
diate time,  our  attention  is  called  to  another  scene, 
which  the  Lord  Jesus  deemed  necessary  as  prepara- 
tory. 


CHAPTER  X. 

This  chapter  and  the  greater  part  of  the  next,  from 
the  first  to  the  fourteenth  verse  inclusive,  is  of  the 
nature  of  a  parenthesis;  for  the  fifteenth  verse  of 
the  11th  chapter  evidently  connects  the  narrative  or 


122  NOTES   ON 

series  of  events  with  the  ninth  chapter.  The  ninth 
chapter  closes  with  an  intimation  of  impenitence  on 
the  part  of  those  who  had  been  punished  by  the 
plagues  of  the  preceding  trumpets.  Then  it  follows, 
as  we  have  seen,  that  they  are  to  be  still  farther  vi- 
sited by  the  infliction  of  the  closing  judgment  sym- 
bolized by  the  seventh  trumpet.  The  immediate  de- 
sign, therefore,  of  interrupting  the  natural  order  of 
the  narrative  is  to  place  before  us  the  actual  condi- 
tion of  society  when  the  seventh  trumpet  sounds. 

1.  And  I  saw  another  mighty  angel  come  down  from  hea- 
ven, clothed  with  a  cloud:  and  a  rainbow  was  upon  his  head, 
and  his  face  as  it  were  the  sun,  and  his  feet  as  pillars  of  fire: 

2.  And  he  had  in  his  hand  a  little  book  open:  and  he  set 
his  right  foot  upon  the  sea,  and  his  left  foot  on  the  earth, 

3.  And  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  as  when  a  lion  roareth: 
and  when  he  had  cried,  seven  thunders  uttered  their  voices. 

Vs.  1-3. — The  majestic  description  of  this  Angel 
agrees  to  no  creature.  It  is  proper  to  God-man  only. 
It  is  partly  the  same  display  of  the  Mediator's  glory 
which  we  had  in  ch.  i.  15.  Especially  is  this  the  case 
as  to  his  fo.ce^  \\\s  feet  and  his  voice.  The  " rainbow '' 
is  still  the  sign  of  the  everlasting  covenant.  "  In 
wrath  he  remembers  mercy." 

This  "book"  differs  from  the  sealed  book  as  a 
part  from  the  whole,  or  a  codicil  from  the  will  to 
which  it  is  appended.  Also,  it  is  distinguished  from 
the  former  as  being  little  and  open.  They  do  there- 
fore greatly  err  here,  who  would  make  this  little  book 
comprehend  all  the  remaining  part  of  the  Apocalypse, 
which  would  make  it  larger  than  the  sealed  book. 
The  little  book  is  open^  because  it  is  part  of  the  large 
one,  from  which  the  last  seal  had  been  removed  by 
the  Mediator.  But  another  reason  why  the  little  book 
is  represented  as  being  open,  is  the  fact  that  the  most 
of  the  events  to  which  it  refers,  had  transpired  prior 
to  the  sounding  of  the  seventh  trumpet.     That  trum- 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  123 

pet  had  been  without  its  appropriate  object,  as  pre- 
sented in  any  preceding  part  of  the  prophecy.  To 
present  that  object  is  the  special  design  of  the  little 
book.  All  the  events  predicted  in  this  book  of  Re- 
velation are  not  successive  in  the  order  of  time,  but 
some  are  coincident;  and  the  inspired  writer  of  the 
Apocalypse,  on  several  occasions  goes  back,  as  we 
shall  see,  in  order  to  explain  at  greater  length, 
what  had  been  but  briefly  and  obscurely  narrated. 

The  angel  set  his  feet  upon  the  world,  as  his  foot- 
stool; by  which  position  is  emblematically  signified 
his  sovereign  dominion  over  sea  and  earth.  And  this 
is  agreeable  to  his  own  plain  teaching  in  the  days  of 
his  public  ministry: — "All  power  is  given  unto  me 
in  heaven  and  in  earth."  (Matt,  xxviii.  18.)  He 
trod  upon  the  billows  of  the  ocean  literally  in  the 
state  of  his  humiliation,  giving  thereby  evidence  of 
his  power  over  the  mystical  waters, — "the  tumults 
of  the  people.''  During  the  popular  commotions  sig- 
nified by  the  trumpets,  be  said  to  the  raging  passions 
of  men  and  their  towering  ambition,  as  to  the  waves 
of  the  sea, — "  Hitherto  shall  ye  come,  and  no  further; 
and  here  shall  your  proud  waves  be  stayed.''  "He 
maketh  the  storm  a  calm,  so  that  the  waves  thereof 
are  still;''  and  whether  the  nations  of  Christendom 
are  at  war  or  in  peaceful  tranquillity,  he  reigns  over 
them  as  their  rightful  sovereign; — "his  right  foot  on 
the  sea,  and  his  left  on  the  earth."  In  possession 
of  universal  dominion,  he  speaks  with  authority,  "as 
when  a  lion  roareth.''  Although  a  lamb  slain,  the 
victim  for  our  sins;  he  is  also  the  Lion  of  the  tribe 
of  Judah,  ruling  over  his  own  people,  restraining  and 
conquering  his  own  and  their  enemies. 

The  "seven  thunders,''  etc.,  give  di. premonition  of 
tremendous  judgments,  the  import  of  which  is  to  be 


124  NOTES   ON 

"  sealed  up  ''  until  it  be    demonstrated   to  all    the 
world  bj  the  seventh  trumpet  and  vial. 

4.  And  when  the  seven  thunders  had  uttered  their  voices, 
I  was  about  to  write:  and  i  heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  say- 
ing unto  me,  Seal  up  those  things  which  the  seven  thunders 
uttered,  and  write  them  not. 

5.  And  tlie  angel,  which  I  saw  stand  upon  the  sea,  and  upon 
the  earth,  lifted  up  his  hand  to  heaven, 

6.  And  sware  by  him  that  liveth  for  ever  and  ever,  who 
created  heaven,  and  the  things  that  therein  are,  and  the  sea, 
and  the  things  which  are  therein,  that  there  should  be  time 
no  longer. 

7.  But  in  the  days  of  the  voice  of  the  seventh  angel,  when 
he  shall  begin  to  sound,  the  mystery  of  God  should  be  finished , 
as  he  hath  declared  to  his  servants  the  prophets. 

Ys.  4-7. — The  attitude  assumed  by  the  Angel  of 
the  covenant  is  very  impressive,  instructive  and  ex- 
emplary:— "his  hand  lifted  up  to  heaven."  This  is 
the  external  attitude  of  solemnity  most  becoming  the 
jurant  when  performing  the  act  of  religious  worship, 
the  oath.  Abraham,  in  the  presence  of  the  king  of 
Sodom,  used  the  same  form,  appealing  to  the  "Lord, 
the  Most  High  God,  possessor  of  heaven  and  earth." 
(Gen.  xiv.  22.)  "Kissing  the  book  ''  has  no  example 
in  all  the  Bible ;  hence  it  is  unquestionably  of  hea- 
then, and  so  of  idolatrous  origin  and  tendency.  No 
Christian  can  thus  symbolize  v/ith  heathens,  without 
so  far  "having  fellowship  with  devils"  as  really  as 
in  eating  in  their  temples.  (1  Cor.  x.  21.) 

The  matter  of  the  Angel's  oath  is, — "that  there 
should  be  time  no  longer."  Here  it  is  humbly  sug- 
gested that  our  excellent  translators  are  faulty  as 
in  eh.  iv.  6,  already  noticed.  Neither  the  original 
Greek  text,  nor  the  coherence  of  the  symbolic  nar- 
rative, will  sustain  or  justify  the  version.  John,  like 
all  pious  people,  when  he  heard  the  lion's  voice,  fol- 
lowed by  the  "seven  thunders,"  Avas  filled  with  solemn 
awe,  anticipating  the  coming  dissolution  of  all  things. 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  125 

It  was  not  the  only  instance  of  his  weakness  and 
misapprehension,  (ch.  xix.  10;)  nor  is  this  infirmity 
pecular  to  the  apostle  John;  for  we  find  other  disci- 
ples mistaking  "the  times  and  the  seasons  which  the 
Father  hath  put  in  his  own  power.''  (2  Thess.  ii. 
1-3.)  These  Thessalonians  had  misapprehended  the 
language  of  Paul  in  his  first  epistle  to  them,  when 
speaking  of  the  end  of  the  world.  (1  Thess.  iv. 
15-17.)  To  relieve  the  anxieties  of  the  Thessalo- 
nians, relative  to  the  apprehended  and  sudden  coming 
of  the  Lord,  Paul  wrote  again  to  correct  their  mis- 
take; so  it  may  be  supposed  that  the  Angel  inter- 
posed this  solemn  assurance  to  his  servant  John,  for 
the  like  purpose,  of  allaying  his  forebodings.  The 
words  in  the  original,  literally  translated,  stand  thus : 
"That  the  time  shall  not  be  yet."  That  is,  the 
"time  of  the  end,''  as  we  read  in  Daniel  xii.  9,  shall 
not  be,  till  the  seventh  trumpet  begins  to  sound. 
The  phrase, — "time  of  the  end,"  may  signify  either 
the  final  overthrow  of  antichristian  power,  or  the  end 
of  the  world,  because  of  the  resemblance  between 
the  two  events.  The  plain  and  certain  meaning,  then, 
of  the  Angel's  oath  is,  that  the  "mystery  of  God 
shall  be  finished"  only  by  the  work  of  the  seventh 
angel.  What  this  mystery  is,  we  will  discover  in 
the  following  chapters.  Indeed,  it  had  been  long 
before  "declared  to  the  prophets,''  but  still  accom- 
panied with  comparative  obscurity  suitable  to  their 
time;  for  the  word  "declared,'' is  expressive  of  glad 
tidings,  being  the  same  in  origin  and  significance  as 
that  which  we  translate, — gospel,  good  news.  Accord- 
ingly, our  Saviour  directs  his  disciples,  in  view  of  his 
appearing  either  to  overthrow  the  Roman  power,  or 
to  judge  the  world,  in  the  following  words  of  cheer: 
"And  when  these  things  begin  to  come  to  pass,  then 
look  up,  and  lift  up  your  heads;  for  your  redemption 


126  NOTES   ON 

draweth  nigh.''  (Luke  xxi.  28.)  To  the  prophet 
Daniel  the  same  event  was  attested  with  like  solem- 
nity. (Dan.  xii.  7.)  This  is  the  period  to  which  the 
suffering  saints  of  God  have  been  long  looking  for- 
ward with  believing  and  joyful  hope.  As  Abraham 
rejoiced  to  see  Christ's  day  of  appearing  in  our  na- 
ture, and  by  faith  saw  and  it  and  was  glad ;  so  the 
covenanted  seed  of  the  father  of  the  faithful,  in  the 
light  of  prophecy,  and  by  like  precious  faith,  are 
favored  with  a  view  of  the  certain  downfall  of  mys- 
tical Babylon. 

8.  And  the  voice  which  I  heard  from  heaven  spake  unto 
me  again,  and  said,  Go  and  take  the  little  book  which  is  open 
in  the  hand  of  the  angel  which  standeth  upon  the  sea  and 
upon  the  earth. 

9.  And  I  went  unto  the  angel,  and  said  unto  him,  Give 
me  the  little  book.  And  he  said  unto  me,  Take  it,  and  eat  it 
up;  and  it  shall  make  thy  belly  bitter,  but  it  shall  be  in  thy 
mouth  sweet  as  honey. 

10.  And  I  took  the  little  book  out  of  the  angel's  hand,  and 
ate  it  up;  and  it  was  in  my  mouth  sweet  as  honey;  and  as 
soon  as  I  had  eaten  it,  my  belly  was  bitter. 

11.  And  he  said  unto  me.  Thou  must  prophesy  again  before 
many  peoples,  and  nations,  and  tongues,  and  kings. 

Vs.  8-11. — John  is  next  directed  by  a  voice  from 
heaven,  or  by  divine  authority, — to  take  and  eat  the 
open  book.  There  is  obvious  allusion  to  a  similar 
transaction  in  Ezekiel  iii.  1-3.  The  prophet  was  a 
captive  by  the  river  of  Chebar  in  Babylon,  under  the 
\dominion  of  the  first  beast  of  Daniel,  as  John  was  in 
Patmos  under  that  of  the  fourth;  and  both  were  fa- 
voured and  employed  by  the  glorious  Head  of  the 
church  in  an  eminent  part  of  their  ministry.  "The 
word  is  not  bound ''  when  ministers  are  in  confine- 
ment. 

The  "eating  of  the  book''  represents  the  intellec- 
tual apprehension  of  the  things  which  it  contained. 

"Thy  words  were  found  and  I  did  eat  them,'' — 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  127 

(Jer.  XV.  16.)  A  speculative  knowledge  of  the  word 
of  God,  and  especially  of  those  parts  that  are  pro- 
phetical, will  afford  pleasure  to  the  human  intellect, 
even  though  the  mind  be  unsanctified.  (Matt.  xiii. 
20,  21.)  But  when  the  prophet  gets  a  farther  insight 
into  the  contents  as  containing  "lamentations,  and 
mourning  and  woe,"  like  Ezekiei's  roll ; — the  pleasure 
is  converted  into  pain.  A  foresight  of  the  sorrows 
and  sufferings  of  Christ's  witnesses  causes  grief  to 
the  Christian's  sensitive  heart.  He  "weeps  with 
them  that  weep,"  bj  the  spontaneous  sympathies  of 
a  common  and  renewed  nature.  "  Sweet  in  the  mouth 
as  honey,  but  in  the  belly  bitter  as  wormwood  and 
gall." 

Upon  the  apostle's  digesting  the  little  book,  the 
Angel  interprets  the  symbolic  action  by  the  plain  and 
extensive  commission, — "  Thou  must  prophesy  again 
before  many  peoples,  and  nations,  and  tongues,  and 
kings."  This  commission  did  not  terminate  with  the 
ministry  of  the  apostle,  although  he  may  be  truly  said 
to  prophesy  by  the  Apocalypse  to  all  nations  till  the 
end  of  the  world.  This  is  equally  true,  how^ever,  of  all 
the  inspired  penmen  of  the  Holy  Scriptures.  (Psalm 
xlv.  17.)  But  John  is  to  be  considered  here  as  the 
official  representative  of  a  living  and  faithful  minis- 
try, on  whom  devolves  the  indispensable  obligation 
to  open  and  apply  these  sacred  predictions  to  the 
commonwealth  of  nations,  however  constituted  au- 
thorities may  be  affected  by  them.  And,  indeed, 
these  messages  will  prove  unwelcome  to  the  immoral 
powers  of  the  earth,  as  in  the  days  of  old.  (1  Kings 
xviii.  17.) 


128  NOTES    ON 


CHAPTER  XI. 

The  narrative  of  proplietic  events  was  broken  off 
at  the  end  of  the  ninth  chapter.  The  tenth  chapter 
and  the  greater  part  of  this,  from  the  beginning  to 
the  thirteenth  verse  inclusive,  present  appearances 
and  actions  quite  foreign  to  the  events  which  follow 
the  sounding  of  the  trumpets.  Why  is  this,  the 
thoughtful  student  of  the  Apocalypse  will  naturally 
ask  ?  Why  is  the  regular  series  of  the  trumpets  sus- 
pended? When  the  sixth  trumpet, — the  "second 
woe," — has  effected  its  objects,  we  naturally  expect 
the  seventh  trumpet  to  sound;  yet  we  are  held  in 
suspense  till  we  come  to  the  fourteenh  verse  of  this 
chapter.  Hitherto  we  have  met  with  no  similar  in- 
terruption. Let  us  take  a  retrospective  view: — The 
seven  epistles  to  the  churches  followed  each  other 
in  regular  succession.  The  seals,  in  like  manner,  fol- 
lowed successively;  and  this  is  true  of  the  vials,  (ch. 
xvi.) 

We  have  seen  that  the  object  of  the  trumpets  was 
the  Roman  empire,  the  fourth  beast  of  Daniel's  pro- 
phecy. The  same  is  the  object  of  the  judgments 
symbolized  by  the  vials.  The  final  subversion  and 
utter  destruction  of  that  beastly  power,  w^as  plainly 
revealed  in  the  Babylonian  monarch's  dream.  (Dan. 
ii.  44.)  And  the  same  event  was  afterwards  exhi- 
bited in  vision  to  Daniel,  (ch.  vii.  11,  26.)  Now 
the  first  four  trumpets  had  demolished  imperial  power 
in  the  western  or  Latin  section;  and  the  next  two, 
by  the  Saracenic  locusts  and  the  Euphratean  horse- 
men had  subverted  the  eastern  or  Greek  section. 
Rome  and  Constantmople  were  the  capitals  of  the 
respective  sections  or  members  of  the  one  empire. 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  129 

Under  the  first  four  trumpets,  by  the  Northern  bar- 
barians ;  and  under  the  first  two  woes,  by  the  Ma- 
hometans, both  sections  of  the  empire  were  over- 
thrown. The'question  now  presses  upon  our  attention, 
Where  shall  we  find  an  object  for  the  tremendous 
judgment  to  be  inflicted  by  the  third  and  last  woe? 
This  question  requires  a  solution.  It  demands  it; 
and  he  who  succeeds  in  the  application  of  history  to 
solve  this  apparent  enigma  in  the  Apocalypse,  will 
be  able  to  attain  to  a  satisfactory,  a  certain,  under- 
standing of  much  that  is  yet  to  most  readers  as  if  the 
''sealed  book"  were  to  this  day  in  the  "right  hand 
of  Him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne.''  Let  us  humbly 
attempt  to  solve  this  difiiculty. 

Daniel's  fourth  beast,  the  Roman  empire,  is  to  be 
contemplated  in  diverse  aspects,  as  the  varied  sym- 
bols obviously  require.  All  know  that  Nebuchad- 
nezzar's *' image"  is  the  same  as  Daniel's  "four 
beasts;''  therefore  the  same  thing  is  presented  in  dif- 
ferent forms  or  aspects.  Of  course  we  are  to  view 
that  object  as  presented.  We  have  seen  that  under 
the  sixth  seal,  (ch.  vi.  12-17,)  the  Roman  empire 
underwent  a  revolution;  that  is,  it  was  destroyed 
as  to  its  Pagan  form.  The  empire  became  Christian 
under  Constantino.  History  proves  that  Christian- 
ity degenerated  under  the  rei^n  of  that  monarch 
and  his  successors.  Heresy,  idolatry  and  persecu- 
tions characterize  the  subsequent  history  of  the  em- 
pire. Then  follow  the  judgments  of  the  trumpets  to 
vindicate  the  divine  government,  and  alleviate  from 
time  to  time  the  sufferings  of  true  Christians.  While 
the  two  woe- trumpets  are  demolishing  the  fabric  of 
idolatry  and  despotism  in  the  east,  the  "deadly 
wound  is  healed "  in  The  west,  which  had  been  in- 
flicted by  the  first  four  trumpets.  Ten  horns  are 
developed  upon  the  beast's  head,  and  another  "  little 


130  NOTES    ON 

horn,"  by  all  of  which  the  saints  suffer,  as  had  been 
predicted  by  Daniel,  (ch.  vii.  24,)  and  of  which  we 
had  intimation  after  the  judgment  of  the  second  woe 
or  sixth  truQipet.  (ch.  ix.  20,  21.)  All  the  "plagues," 
which  had  been  inflicted  upon  the  people  of  Christen- 
dom under  this  trumpet  left  them  still  impenitent, — 
"worshipping  devils,"  etc.  Surely  we  may  now  see 
wdiere  the  object  of  the  third  woe  is  to  be  found, — 
namely  in  the  same  Roman  empire,  now  become  an- 
tichristian  more  than  ever  before.  To  describe  this 
antichristian  combination  and  present  the  unholy 
confederacy  against  the  Lord  and  his  Anointed,  and 
so  to  justify  the  ways  of  God ;  it  was  necessary  to 
digress  from  the  narrative  of  the  trumpets.  We  now 
proceed  with  our  observations  on  the  eleventh  chap- 
ter. 

1.  And  there  was  given  me  a  reed  like  unto  a  rod:  and  the 
angel  stood,  saying,  Rise,  and  measure  the  temple  of  God, 
and  the  altar,  and  them  that  worship  therein. 

2.  But  the  court  which  is  without  the  temple  leave  out, 
and  measure  it  not;  for  it  is  given  unto  the  Gentiles:  and  the 
holy  city  shall  they  tread  under  foot  forty  and  two  months. 

Vs.  1,  2. — This  chapter,  (vs.  1-13,)  gives  the  con- 
tents of  the  "little  book''  delivered  to  the  apostle; 
as  in  the  tenth  chapter.  It  contains  a  brief  descrip- 
tion and  prospective  history  of  the  true  church  of 
Christ  for  a  period  of  1260  years.  Her  conflicts 
with  Daniel's  fourth  beast  are  here  epitomized.  As 
the  scene  is  laid  in  the  temple  and  ministry  all  along 
in  the  Apocalypse,  so  there  is  probably  a  special  al- 
lusion here  to  Ezekiel's  vision,  (ch.  xl.  5.)  At  all 
times  the  Christian  church  is  to  be  organized,  and 
all  her  ordinances  to  be  administered  by  divine  rule. 
Accordingly  we  have  here  presented  the  actual  con- 
dition of  Christendom  during  the  whole  tiuie  men- 
tioned above.  The  command  to  John  from  the  An- 
gel, is  to  be  understood  as  from  the  Lord  Jesus,  Zion's 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  131 

only  king  to  the  gospel  ministry.  Long  before  the 
time  of  the  transactions  here  predicted,  the  apostle 
John  had  gone  the  way  of  all  the  earth.  The  work 
here  enjoined  was  to  be  performed  by  his  legitimate 
successors. 

The  reed  is  the  symbol  of  the  word  of  God.  It  is 
of  the  same  import  as  Zechariah's  "measuring  line." 
(ch.  ii.  1,)  and  to  be  used  for  the  same  purpose — "to 
measure  Jerusalem,''  the  temple;  for  both  are  emble- 
matical of  the  church  of  God.  The  "temple,  altar 
and  worshippers,''  are  emblems  of  the  church,  her 
doctrines,  worship  and  membership,  tried  by  the 
Scriptures — the  "reed.''  There  are  Gentiles  who 
worship  in  the  outer  court,  treading  under  foot* both 
it  and  the  city.  These  are  formal,  immoral,  idola- 
trous professors  of  Christianity.  They  are  rejected 
by  God  as  reprobate,  and  by  his  command  to  be 
"cast  out"  from  the  fellowship  of  his  people, — au- 
thoritatively excommunicated  by  those  to  whom 
Jesus  Christ  has  given  the  key  of  discipline. 

Here  then,  at  the  disclosing  of  the  contents  of  the 
little  open  book,  it  is  manifest  that  John  goes  back 
from  the  sixth  trumpet  in  the  seventeenth  century, 
when  the  Eastern  section  of  the  Roman  empire  was 
subverted,  by  the  Othmans,  and  gives  us  another 
view  of  society  in  Christendom  cotemporaneously 
with  the  trumpets.  It  follows  necessarily  that  the 
little  book  does  not  rank,  as  some  imagine,  under  any 
one  trumpet;  much  less  does  it  comprehend  all  the 
remaining  chapters  of  the  Apocalypse,  as  others 
vainly  suppose.  This  matter  will  receive  increasing 
confirmation  as  we  advance. 

Those  who  worship  within  the  temple  and  those 
who  worship  without,  are  evidently  distinguished 
from  each  other.  They  differ  in  character  tested  by 
the  word  of  God,  in  fellowship,  as  authoritatively 


132  NOTES    ON 

separated  according  to  the  rule  of  the  same  word: 
for  whereas  the  gentile  worshippers  are  so  numerous 
as  to  crowd  both  the  outer  court  and  the  city,  the 
measured  worshippers  are  all  included  within  the 
confines  of  the  temple,  (Song  iv.  12.)  Measuring  is 
equivalent  to  the  sealing  of  the  servants  of  God  in 
the  seventh  chapter;  and  imports  that  thej  are  se- 
cured from  the  sins  and  plagues  of  their  time.  The 
period  of  the  apostacy  from  God  is  fixed  to  "forty 
and  two  months."  According  to  Jewish  mode  of 
reckoning,  a  day  for  a  year,  (Num.  xiv.  34;  Dan.  ix. 
24,)  the  whole  period  is  1260  years.  Each  month 
has  thirty  days.  Multiply  forty- two  by  thirty,  and 
we  Rave  1260.  The  same  period  of  time, — not 
merely  an  equal  period,  is  otherwise  expressed  by  the 
prophet  Daniel  thus:  "time,  times,  and  a  half." 
(ch.  xii.  7.)  That  is,  360,  the  number  of  days  in  the 
Jewish  year:  times,  or  720,  the  days  in  two  years; 
and  half  a  time,  or  180,  the  days  in  half  a  year. 
Now,  add  these  three  numbers,  360,  720,  180;  and 
the  sum  is  1260.  Now  see  Daniel  iv.  25,  where  the 
word  "times"  means  yeaj^s,  and  then  a  child  may 
calculate  these  mystical  numbers. 

3.  And  I  will  give  power  unto  my  two  witnesses,  and  they 
shall  prophesy  a  thousand  two  hundred  and  threescore  days, 
clothed  in  sackcloth. 

V.  3. — While  the  nominal  church,  "the  outer 
court  and  the  holy  city,"  would  be  "trodden  under 
foot,''  and  the  most  eminent  places  would  be  filled 
with  idolaters,  infidels,  hypocrites,  and  mercenary 
spirits,  and  true  Christians  grievously  oppressed, 
the  Lord  would  preserve  a  faithful  few  from  defiling 
themselves  with  the  prevailing  abominations.  These 
he  claims  and  owns  as  his  "peculiar  treasure," — 
"  my  witnesses."  These  have  found  that  it  was 
"good  for  them  to  draw  near  to  God,''  when  the 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  133 

multitude  treacherously  departed  from  him.  The 
Lord  Christ  promises  to  sustain  them  in  the  midst  of 
all  their  tribulations.  The  duration  of  their  special 
work  is  the  very  same  as  that  of  the  treading  of  the 
holy  city,  "  a  thousand  two  hundred  and  three  score 
days,'' — 1260  years.  In  attempting  to  fix  the  be- 
ginning of  this  period,  Daniel  and  John  must  be  com- 
pared ;  both  treat  of  the  same  events  and  dates,  and 
this  gives  definiteness  to  the  interpretation.  Daniel 
fixes  these  events  to  the  fourth  monarchy  after  it  had 
been  broken  in  pieces,  and  the  ten  horns  had  arisen : 
(ch.  vii.  23-25;)  so  that  we  have  both  the  geography 
and  chronology  determined  by  the  prophets  them- 
selves. Hence  it  follows  that  we  must  date  the  be- 
ginning of  the  1260  years  after  the  first  four  trum- 
pets; for  by  these  the  western  Roman  empire  was 
dismembered  or  broken,  that  the  ten  horns  might  ap- 
pear. Then  the  "little  horn''  of  Daniel  arose  after 
and  among  them,  (ch.  vii.  20,  24.)  All  reliable  ex- 
positors agree  that  the  "little  horn"  is  the  papacy 
or  the  Romish  chutch.  This  little  horn  is  the  spe- 
cial enemy  of  the  "saints  of  the  Most  High,"  and 
they  are  to  be  ''given  into  his  hand.''  (Dan.  vii.  25.) 
The  first  four  trumpets  subverted  the  Roman  empire 
in  the  west  in  the  latter  part  of  the  sixth  century. 
This  event  made  way  for  the  bishop  of  Rome,  in 
process  of  time,  to  acquire  a  great  accession  of  eccle- 
siastical power.  The  civil  and  ecclesiastical  rulers, 
equally  unscrupulous  and  aspiring,  were  at  this  pe- 
riod on  terms  of  comparative  intimacy,  and  occa- 
sionally disposed  to  reciprocate  good  offices.  Pho- 
cas,  having  waded  through  the  blood  of  the  citizens 
to  supreme  civil  power,  in  order  to  secure  his  position, 
declared  Boniface  III.,  bishop  of  Rome,  head  of  the 
universal  church.  This  impious  public  act  took  place 
in  the  year  606.     The  pope  became  also  a  temporal 


134  NOTES   ON 

prince  in  756.  Now  we  cannot  know  with  certainty 
which  of  these  events,  nor  indeed  whether  either  of 
them,  marks  the  period  in  time  when  the  1260  years 
began.  Hence  we  must  remain  at  uncertainty  as  to 
the  exact  time  when  this  most  interesting  period  will 
end.  Of  all  transactions  recorded  in  history,  how- 
ever, that  between  Phocas  and  Boniface  appears 
most  like  *' giving  the  saints  into  the  hand  of  the 
little  horn."  At  this  juncture  in  particular,  church 
and  state  conspire,  as  never  before,  to  resist  the  au- 
thority of  Jesus  Christ  the  Mediator.  Paul's  "man 
of  sin"  has  been  "revealed  in  his  time,''  (2  Thess. 
ii.  6.)  Paganism  has  been  abolished  by  formal  edict 
throughout  the  Roman  empire,  and  Christianity  es- 
tablished as  the  recognised  religion  of  the  common- 
wealth. That  which  "letted," — hindered,  that  is, 
the  pagan  idolatry  of  the  civil  state,  is  "taken  out 
of  the  way;''  and  nominal  Christianity  takes  its 
place.  This  combination  or  alliance  between  church 
and  state  will  be  more  clearly  made  known  in  the 
succeeding  chapters  of  this  bool^  Mean  while  it  is 
the  immediate  design  of  the  "little  open  book,''  to 
give  an  epitome  or  outline  of  this  unholy  confederacy 
in  the  first  thirteen  verses  of  this  chapter.  The 
treading  under  foot  of  the  holy  city  by  the  "Gen- 
tiles," furnishes  occasion  for  the  witnesses  to  appear 
publicly  against  them.  These  pretended  Christians, 
but  real  hypocrites,  a3  will  appear  with  increasing 
evidence  as  we  proceed,  have  usurped  the  rights  of 
Messiah's  crown,  and  grievously  oppressed  his  real 
disciples.  Against  these  outrages  on  the  preroga- 
tives of  Christ  and  the  rights  of  man,  these  witnesses 
lift  their  solemn  protest.  Their  distinctive  name, 
"witnesses,"  is  familiar  to  every  one  who  searches 
the  Scriptures.  (Isa.  xliii.  10;  Acts  i.  8.)  But  wit- 
nesses who  love  not  their  lives  unto  the  death  are 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  135 

distinguished  by  the  name  of  martyrs.  (Rev.  ii.  13; 
Acts  xxii.  20.) 

God  has  had  his  witnesses  in  all  ages  since  the 
fall  of  Adam,  in  defence  of  truth  and  hoHness  against 
error  and  ungodliness;  but  the  specific  work  of  these 
"witnesses  is  to  oppose  the  corruption  of  his  two  or- 
dinances of  church  and  state  during  the  specified 
period  of  1260  years.  The  existence  of  this  complex 
system  of  civil  and  ecclesiastical  tyranny  and  here- 
sy, in  the  holy  purpose  and  sovereign  providence  of 
God,  calls  for  the  public  and  uncompromising  oppo- 
sition of  the  two  witnesses.  We  shall  discover  the 
two  parties  in  more  visible  conflict  hereafter;  and 
tracing  the  struggle  to  its  issue,  we  shall  find,  that 
like  the  more  general  and  lasting  warfare  between 
the  seed  of  the  woman  and  that  of  the  serpent,  (Gen. 
iii.  15,)  it  is  a  "war  of  extermination.'' 

These  witnesses  are  distinguished  as  a  part  from 
the  whole.  All  witnesses  are  not  martyrs^  but  these 
are  such,  (v.  7,  ch.  xx.  4.)  And  here  we  are  con- 
strained to  dissent  from  the  opinion  of  some  exposi- 
tors, for  whose  sentiments  we  entertain  profound  re- 
spect. These  '•  two  witnesses ''  are  supposed  by  these 
eminent  interpreters  to  "differ  as  much  from  the 
144,000  sealed  ones,  (ch.  vii.  4,)  as  Elijah  differed 
from  the  7000  in  Israel  in  his  time;''  whereas,  we 
think  the  144,000  and  the  tivo^  are  the  same  identi- 
cal company.  (See  chapters  vii.  4-8;  xiv.  1;  xx.  4.) 
It  is  evident  that  they  are  the  same  party, — and  the 
whole  of  the  party,  who  are  honored  to  "reign  with 
Christ  a  thousand  years,"  (ch.  xx.  4.) 

They  are  two  in  number,  because  one  witness  is 
not  sufficient  in  law,  to  establish  any  matter  in  con- 
troversy. (Num.  XXXV.  30;  2  Cor.  xiii.  1.)  They  are 
a  small  number  compared  with  their  opponents,  (ch. 
xiii.  3.)     Again,  they  are  few,  but  sufficient  to  con- 


136  NOTES    ON 

front  and  confate  their  two  epponents,  (ch.  xiii.  1, 
11.)  And,  finally,  they  are  tivo,  that  they  may  be 
assimilated  to  their  predecessors. 

4.  These  are  tlie  two  olive  trees,  and  tlie  two  candlesticks 
standing  before  the  God  of  the  earth. 

5.  And  if  any  man  will  hurt  them,  fire  proceedeth  out  of 
their  mouth,  and  devoureth  their  enemies:  and  if  any  man 
will  hurt  them,  he  must  in  this  manner  be  killed. 

6.  These  have  power  to  shut  heaven,  that  it  rain  not  in  the 
days  of  their  prophecy;  and  have  power  over  waters  to  turn 
them  to  blood,  and  to  smite  the  earth  with  all  plagues,  as 
often  as  they  will. 

Ys.  4-6. — "  These  are  the  two  olive  trees,  and  the 
two  candlesticks,"  answerable  to  Joshua  and  Zerub- 
babel,  the  representatives  of  a  gospel  ministry  and  a 
scriptural  magistracy  in  their  day,  as  seen  by  the 
prophet  Zechariah,  (ch.  iv.  14.)  The  official  admi- 
nistrators of  the  divine  ordinances  of  church  and 
state,  require  the  oil  of  divine  grace  to  qualify  them 
for  the  discharge  of  their  responsible  duties  to  God 
and  man.  (1  Tim.  i.  2;  Titus  i.  4;  Ps.  Ixxii.  1.) 
Thus  were  those  public  servants  of  God  and  of  his 
people  qualified  who  "stood  before  the  God  of  the 
earth,"  as  Moses  and  Aaron  in  Egypt,  Elijah  and 
Elisha  in  Israel,  to  whom  there  is  obvious  allusion 
in  the  special  work  of  these  witnesses.  (2  Kings  i. 
10;  1  Kings  xvii.  1;  Exod.  vii.  17.)  "Eire  pro- 
ceedeth out  of  their  mouth,''  when  from  the  scrip- 
tures they  denounce  just  judgments  upon  the  impeni- 
tent enemies  of  him  whom  they  represent.  They 
**  smite  the  earth  with  all  plagues,''  when,  in  answer 
to  their  prayers,  vengeance  comes  upon  antichristian 
communities.  (Luke  xviii.  7,  8.)  They  "turn  waters 
into  blood,''  when  through  their  effective  agency,  the 
votaries  of  Antichrist  are  made  the  instruments  of 
mutual  destruction.  And  all  this  is  made  more  clear 
in  the  symbolic  "vials,"  (ch.  16.) 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  137 

These  witnesses  ^'prophesy,''  not  as  being  inspired, 
but  because  thej, — and  they  only^  ^VV^l  existing 
predictions  to  their  appropriate  objects,  so  far  as  they 
receive  light  from  Hirn  who  is  "the  light  of  the 
world." 

They  are  "clothed  in  sack-cloth,''  because  they 
sigh  and  cry  for  all  the  abominations  of  their  time, — 
subjected  to  oppression,  and  excluded  from  "kings' 
palaces,'' — places  of  wordly  honor,  power  and  emolu- 
ment. 

But  the  question  is  of  great  importance,  and,  to 
themselves  in  particular,  of  absorbing  interest, — How 
shall  these  witnesses  be  identified  among  mankind? 
For  however  few,  humble,  despised  and  persecuted, 
even  unto  death;  strange  as  it  may  seem,  there  are 
not  wanting  many  to  put  forth  a  claim  to  be  iden- 
tified with  them !  Assuming  that  these  mystic  wit- 
nesses are  individual  persons,  the  Papists  say,  they 
are  Enoch  and  Elijah,  hereafter  to  appear  on  earth! 
By  Protestants,  John  Huss  and  Jerome. — Luther  and 
Calvin,  have  been  selected.  Others  suppose  the  Old 
and  New  Testaments,  with  many  other  vague  and 
groundless  conjectures.  The  witnesses  die;  but  the 
two  prophe  tsnamed  "were  translated  that  they  should 
not  see  death:''  and  the  thought  is  preposterous  that 
they  should  be  brought  again  from  their  glorious  state 
of  immortality  and  subjected  to  an  ignominious  death. 
John  Huss  and  Jerome  of  Prague  did  not  prophesy 
1260  years,  nor  have  we  the  shadow  of  a  ground  to 
believe  that  any  of  the  human  race  shall  ever  prolong 
their  days  on  earth  to  the  age  of  Methuselah.  The 
two  Testaments  cannot  die,  for  "the  word  of  God 
liveth  and  abideth  for  ever."  (1  Pet.  i.  23.)  But 
it  would  be  tedious  and  unprofitable  to  confute  the 
various  chimeras  which  on  this  question  have  been 
entertained  in  the  minds  equally  of  the  learned  and 


138  NOTES   ON 

the  illiterate.  The  Irke  fanciful  and  diversified  opi- 
nions have  been,  and  still  are,  prevalent  in  relation 
to  what  constitutes  "the  Antichrist.''  (1  John  ii.  22.) 
Now,  it  is  evident,  even  on  a  cursory  perusal  of  the 
Apocalypse;  that  the  witnesses  and  their  opponents 
are  the  principal  parties  symbolized  in  the  whole 
series  of  the  seals,  trumpets  and  vials.  How  then 
can  any  one  attain  to  a  rational  understanding  of  the 
manifold  details,  who  remains  "willingly  ignorant" 
of  the  principal  characters  in  this  grandest  of  all 
tragico-dramas,  presented  to  man's  view  on  the  stage 
of  Jehovah's  moral  empire,  to  be  contemplated  for 
the  whole  period  of  1260  years?  The  prevailing  ig- 
norance, bewilderment  and  error,  in  the  minds  of 
most  spectators  of  these  moving  scenes,  w^e  are  war- 
ranted to  expect.  (Dan.  xii.  10.)  For  the  present 
we  define  the  witnesses  and  Antichrist  concisely 
thus: — The  Witnesses  are  a  competent  number  of 
Christians^  who  for  1260  years^  insist  upon  the  ap- 
plication of  God's  word  to  church  and  state ;  and 
who  testify  against  all  communities  who  rebel  against 
the  Lord  Christ.  Such  communities,  in  visible  or- 
ganization, constitute  the  Antichrist,  as  will  more 
fully  appear  in  the  thirteenth  and  seventeenth  chap- 
ters, where  the  two  prominent  parties  are  more  for- 
mally presented. 

Let  us  never  lose  sight  of  the  fact,  that  these  wit- 
nesses cease  not  to  prophesy, — to  apply  the  scriptures, 
especially  the  prophetical  parts  of  them,  during  the 
whole  period  of  1260  years;  that  is,  while  they  live. 
Authentic  history  supplies  abundant  evidence  that 
such  has  been  their  special  work  all  along  since  the 
rise  of  the  antichristian  enemy.  That  enemy  is  but 
obscurely  mentioned, — not  described  in  the  "little 
book,''  the  contents  of  which  we  have,  as  already  said, 
in  this  chapter,  (vs.  1-13.)  The  character  and  achieve- 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  139 

ments  of  the  witnesses  may  be  found  in  the  familiar 
histories  of  the  Cukiees  and  Lollards  of  Britain,  the 
Waldenses  of  Piedmont,  the  Bohemian  Brethren;  to- 
gether with  the  more  recent  and  successful  reformers 
on  the  continent  of  Europe  and  in  the  British  Isles. 
Is  it  unnecessary  to  mention  the  names  of  those  men 
of  renown, — Zwingle,  Luther,  Calvin,  Knox,  Hender- 
son, etc.,-^ — men  "mighty  in  words  and  in  deeds," 
whose  influence  on  the  great  "family  of  nations," 
their  very  enemies  have  reluctantly  attested?  The 
testimony  of  an  enemy  has  ever  been  deemed  weighty. 
The  following  is  appropriate  and  decisive  from  the 
polished  pen  of  the  historian  of  the  "Decline  and 
Fall  of  the  Roman  Empire:"  ''The  visible  assemblies 
of  the  Paulicians,  or  Albigeois,  were  extirpated  by 
fire  and  sword;  and  the  bleeding  remnant  escaped 
by  flight,  concealment,  or  catholic  conformity.  But 
the  invincible  spirit  which  they  had  kindled  still  lived 
and  breathed  in  the  western  world. — In  the  state, 
in  the  church,  and  even  in  the  cloister,  a  latent  suc- 
cession was  preserved  of  the  disciples  of  St.  Paul, 
who  protested  against  the  tyranny  of  Rome,  em- 
braced the  Bible  as  the  rule  of  faith,  and  purified 
their  creed  from  all  the  visions  of  the  Gnostic 
theology.  The  struggles  of  WicklifT  in  England, 
and  of  Huss  in  Bohemia,  were  premature  and  inef- 
fectual: but  the  names  of  Zuinglius,  Luther  and 
Calvin,  are  pronounced  with  gratitude  as  the  deli- 
verers of  nations.''* 

Ever  since  the  time  of  those  eminent  witnesses, 
the  same  testimony  has  been  maintained.  It  is  not 
yet  finished,  the  witnesses  are  yet  alive,  and  the  term  of 
1260  years  is  not  expired. 


*  Gibbon  lias  unconsciously  written  a  commentary  on  pro- 
phecy!— an  involuntary  witness,  like  Josephus! 


140  NOTES   ON 

7.  And  when  they  shall  have  finished  their  testimony,  the 
beast  that  ascendeth  out  of  the  bottomless  pit,  shall  make 
"war  against  them,  and  shall  o\'-ercome  them,  and  kill  them. 

8.  And  their  dead  bodies  shall  lie  in  the  street  of  the  great 
city,  which  spiritually  is  called  Sodom  and  Egypt,  "where 
also  our  Lord  was  crucified. 

9.  And  they  of  the  people,  and  kindreds,  and  tongues,  and 
nations,  shall  see  their  dead  bodies  three  days  and  a  half, 
and  shall  not  suffer  their  dead  bodies  to  be  put  in  graves. 

10.  And  they  that  dwell  upon  the  earth  shall  rejoice  over 
them,  and  make  merry,  and  shall  send  gifts  one  to  another; 
because  these  two  prophets  tormented  them  that  dwelt  on 
the  earth. 

Vs.  7-10. — In  these  verses  we  have  described  the 
death  of  the  witnesses,  as  also  the  agent  mentioned, 
by  whom  the  fatal  stroke  is  given.  As  future  occa- 
sion will  occur  for  identifying  this  bloody  tyrant, 
ascertaining  with  precision  his  diabolical  origin,  here 
only  hinted,  his  crimes  and  his  awful  doom,  it  is  pre- 
mature to  amplify  in  this  place. 

If  the  witnesses  cannot  be  identified,  neither  can 
the  time  of  their  death  be  ascertained.  We  find  in- 
deed among  expositors  as  many  vague  notions  rela- 
tive to  the  time  and  the  nature  of  their  death  as  in 
relation  to  their  identity.  These  notions  are  unwor- 
thy of  notice ;  for  however  they  might  amuse,  they 
cannot  edify. 

Four  questions  are  suggested  by  these  verses. — By 
whom;  in  what  manner,  when,  and  where  are  the 
witnesses  slain  ? 

The  first  question  is  explicitly  answered  in  the  sa- 
cred text.  The  "beast,"  of  hellish  origin,  kills 
them.  But  it  will  afterwards  appear  that  the  beast 
is  instigated  to  this  relentless  cruelty  by  another 
agent  of  the  devil.  Again,  as  to  the  kind  of  death, 
we  may  in  good  measure  learn  this  from  the  kind  of 
life.  Now  it  is  obvious  that  to  give  testimony,  or 
"prophesy"  during  the  allotted  time,  constitutes  their 
life.     They  live,  that  they  may  prophesy.     Hence  it 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  141 

is  usual  to  speak  of  silencing^  as  equivalent  to  slaying 
these  witnesses.  But  this  is  not  strictly  correct. 
Why?  Because  they  have  been  hitherto  "killed  all 
the  clay  long."  (Ps.  xliv.  22 ;  Rom.  viii.  36.)  Doubt- 
less defection  and  apostacy  do  always  accompany  per- 
secution; and  thus  the  testimony  of  such  is  silenced. 
But  the  enemy  in  this  case  is  "drunken  with  the 
blood"  of  these  witnesses;  and  this  phrase  must  be 
understood  literally.  Moreover,  the  enemy  gets 
*' blood  to  drink,''  because  of  "shedding  blood."  (ch. 
xvi.  6;  xvii.  6.)  The  death  of  the  w^itnesses  is  there- 
fore a  literal  death,  of  course  it  will  be  also  moral, — 
they  w^ill  cease  to  prophesy. 

Some  have  supposed  the  "three  years,  or  days  and 
a  half,"  during-  which  the  witnesses  lie  dead  are  the 
same  as  the  1260  days  or  years;  because  if  these 
three  and  a  half  days  be  considered  as  prophetical, 
and  reduced  to  literal  days,  they  will  amount  exactly 
to  1260.  Such  an  interpretation,  however,  is  pre- 
posterous; simply  because  according  to  this  hypo- 
thesis, they  7iever  lived,  at  all! — The  absurdity  is  evi- 
dent. 

Having  ascertained  the  nature  of  the  death  to 
which  the  witnesses  are  appointed  by  the  Lord  of 
life,  we  now  inquire  as  to  the  time  of  this  mournful 
event.  The  text  informs  us  that  their  death  is  con- 
nected wdth  the  "finishing  of  their  testimony."  How- 
ever the  original  may  be  transhated, — when  they 
shall  have  finished, — when  they  shall  be  fi^nishing^ — 
or  about  to  finish,  afiects  not  the  question  as  to 
time.  While  they  live,  their  work  is  to  prophesy, 
and  their  testimony  is  not  completed.  Like  their 
Master,  to  whose  example  they  are  conformed,  their 
life  and  testimony  are  finished  together.  These  facts, 
briefly  and  obscurely  hinted  here,  will  be  more  satis- 
factorily presented  in  the  next,  but  especially  in  the 
10 


142  NOTES   ON 

twentieth  chapter,  (vs.  1-4.)  But  inasmuch  as  many, 
if  not  most  interpreters,  have  expressed  the  opinion 
that  the  witnesses  are  already  slain,  the  following 
arguments  in  the  negative  are  submitted  to  the 
reader. 

The  1260  years  are  not  yet  terminated,  during 
which, — the  whole  of  which  time,— the  witnesses  are 
to  *' prophesy,"  (v.  3.)  Their  testimony  is  yet  con- 
tinued, and  sensibly  felt  by  the  wicked.  They  still 
more  or  less  "torment  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth,'' 
(v.  10.)  Beyond  the  usual  reproach  attached  to  their 
names  and  their  work,  there  has  been  no  general 
reviling  and  deriding  of  them  throughout  Christen- 
dom, to  render  their  memory  infamous,  (v.  9.) — No 
opprobrious  epithets  such  as,  ''These  deceivers  said, 
while  they  were  yet  alive,"  (Matt,  xxvii.  63,)  that  so 
they  might  be  conformed  to  their  Lord  in  his  death. 
Nor,  lastly,  have  "they  that  dwell  upon  the  earth'' 
exulted  as  yet  over  these  hated  individuals,  as  no 
longer  "hurtful  to  kings  and  provinces," — although 
there  have  been,  often,  partial  but  premature  rejoi- 
cings by  a  part  of  the  enemy.  But  although  from 
time  to  time,  "some  of  them,  have  fallen,  to  try  them, 
and  to  purge,  and  to  make  them  white"  as  predicted, 
(Dan.  xi.  35;)  yet  the  time  of  "making  merry,  send- 
ing gifts,'' — is  not  yet  come. 

While  we  believe,  on  the  grounds  adduced, — and 
much  more  might  have  been  cited  from  the  context, — 
that  the  death  of  the  witnesses  is  to  be  understood 
literally,  we  do  not  suppose  that  every  individual 
will  be  personally  put  to  death.  No,  but  as  in  the 
time  of  Elijah's  banishment,  or  of  our  Saviour's  lying 
in  the  grave,  there  will  be  no  public  body  or  indi- 
vidual standard-bearer,  to  bear  testimony  against  the 
enemies  of  Jesus  Christ,  or  boldly  to  assert  and  press 
his  royal   claims    upon  church  and  state.     In  pros- 


THE  APOCALYPSE.  143 

pect  of  this  dark  time, — darker  than  the  *'clark  ages," 
we  may  ask  with  Joshua, — "What  wilt  thou  do  unto 
thy  great  name?''  Eut  though  the  witnesses  die,  the 
Faithful  Witness  lives,  (ch.  i.  18.) 

The  place,  where  the  witnesses  lie  dead  is  pointed 
out  by  three  places  well  known  in  sacred  history, 
Egypt,  Sodom  and  Jerusalem.  But  these  are  to  be 
understood  mystically.  The  place  resembles  Egypt 
for  idolatry  and  cruelty  to  the  people  of  God;  it  is 
like  Sodom  for  literal  and  spiritual  pollution;  and 
Jerusalem,  where  our  Lord  was  crucified  afresh  and 
put  to  open  shame  in  the  persons  of  his  slain  witnesses. 
It  follows  of  course, — that  place  is  to  be  utterly  de- 
stroyed; having  committed  the  crimes  and  contracted 
the  guilt  of  all  those  unpardonable  criminals.  (Ps. 
Ixxiv.  13,  14;  Ezek.  xxxi.  18;  Isa.  xiii.  19;  Luke 
xxi.  20.)  For  similar  reasons,  Babylon  is  afterwards 
mentioned  repeatedly  as  the  place  of  this  tragic 
event,  this  unpardonable  crime, — the  slaying  of  the 
witnesses,  (ch.  xviii.  24.)  It  is  to  be  specially  noted 
here,  that  in  ascertaining  the  place  of  the  death  of 
these  distinguished  servants  of  Christ,  our  attention 
is  directed  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  a  "street"  of  the 
city.  At  present  it  is  assumed  that  streets  of  the 
city  and  Jioims  of  the  beast  substantially  harmonize  as 
symbols.  Now  look  over  the  streets  of  the  great 
city:  contemplate  the  horns  of  the  beast;  ascertain 
which  is  most  guilty  of  persecution.  In  estimating 
the  relative  degree  of  guilt,  the  degree  of  heavenly 
light  against  which  the  criminal  has  rebelled  is  to 
be  taken  into  the  account.  (John  xv.  22;  Matt.  xi. 
24.)  In  view  of  these  scriptural  principles,  and  the 
actual  condition  of  Christendom  as  portrayed  in  au- 
thentic histor}^,  would  the  conjecture  seem  presump- 
tuous, should  we  venture  to  designate — Great  Bri- 
tain?    There,  for  centuries,  the  witnesses  have  been 


144  NOTES   ON 

most  numerous,  active,  and  pointed,  in  testifying 
against  encroachments  on  the  crown-rights  of  Mes- 
siah. There  also,  lordly  prelates,  in  close  alliance 
with  a  blasphemous  horn  of  the  beast,  have  often 
vied  w^ith  the  sworn  vassals  of  the  "man  of  sin,"  in 
murdering  the  saints  of  God.  "  Therefore  it  is  no 
great  thing"  if,  throwing  off  the  mask  of  Protestant- 
ism, English  prelacy,  combining  with  Romish  Jesuit- 
ism, should  make  common  cause  with  undisguised 
infidelity,  in  slaying  the  witnesses  against  their  hea- 
ven-daring rebellion.  The  signs  of  the  present  time, 
(1870,)  render  our  conjecture  not  improbable.  We 
give  it  only  as  a  conjecture;  for  in  reference  to  events 
yet  future, — as  we  believe  that  of  the  death  of  the 
witnesses  to  be, — we  may  not  presume  to  iwophesy. 
— "Three  days  and  a  half"  is  the  limited  period  of 
their  degradation;  and  this  is  three  natural  years 
and  a  half:  for  the  word  "days"  must  be  taken  in 
the  same  sense  as  in  v.  3;  otherwise  we  fall  into  an 
inextricable  labyrinth  of  endless  confusion.  From 
all  which  it  appears  that  "the  triumphing  of  the 
wicked  is  short.''  If  "while  the  wicked  is  in  power, 
and  we  wait  upon  God,''  we  are  called  to  "join  trem- 
bling with  our  mirth;''  the  pleasing  prospect  of  the 
speedy  and  joyful  resurrection  of  "  these  slain,"  may 
inspire  us  with  "a  lively  hope,''  and  warrant  us  to 
join  mirth  with  our  trembling. 

11.  And  after  three  days  and  a  half,  the  Spirit  of  life  from 
God  entered  into  them,  and  they  stood  upon  their  feet;  and 
great  fear  fell  upon  them  which  saw  them. 

12.  And  they  heard  a  great  voice  from  heaven,  saying  unto 
them.  Come  up  hither.  And  they  ascended  up  to  heaven  in 
a  cloud;  and  their  enemies  beheld  them. 

Vs.  11,  12. — In  these  two  verses,  as  in  the  pre- 
ceding, the  thoughtful  reader  will  discern  a  beautiful 
allusion  in  the  history  of  these  witnesses,  to  the  death 
and  life  of  our  blessed  Master.     "For  if  they  have 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  145 

been  planted  together  in  the  likeness  of  his  death, 
they  shall  be  also  in  the  likeness  of  his  resurrection.'' 
Yes,  they  have  communion  with  him  in  death  and 
life, — in  grace  and  glory.  *' Nothing  can  separate 
them  from  the  love  of  God  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus 
their  Lord." 

"  The  Spirit  of  life  from  God  entered  into  them." 
That  is,  God  will  speedily  raise  up  successors,  who, 
maintaining  the  very  same  principles,  will  be  glori- 
ously successful  in  putting  down  all  rule  and  authority 
and  power,"  that  had  been  in  hostility  to  their  Lord. 
(1  Cor.  XV.  24,  25.  See  Ezek.  xxxvii.  11-14.)  "  This 
is  the  first  resurrection,''  to  be  explained  by  the  in- 
spired penman  more  fully  hereafter,  (ch.  xx.  5.) — As 
Saul  feared  David,  and  Herod  John  Baptist,  because 
they  were  "just  men  and  holy;"  so  w^ere  the  wicked 
afraid  when  these  w^itnesses  arose;  and,  like  Shimei, 
they  justly  dread  the  "due  reward  of  their  deeds." 
At  the  time  referred  to,  "the  haters  of  the  Lord  will 
feign  submission." — The  "  great  voice  from  heaven" 
inviting  the  witnesses  to  ascend,  and  their  actual  as- 
cent, is  another  allusion  to  Christ's  exaltation.  As 
when  "he  was  taken  up,  a  cloud  received  him;"  so 
here,  "they  ascended  up  to  heaven  in  a  cloud.'' 

It  has  often  been  the  cry  of  the  antichristian  multi- 
tude,— "The  voice  of  the  people  is  the  voice  of  God." 
This  cry  has  been  iterated  and  reiterated,  in  centu- 
ries past,  like  that  of  the  Ephesian  worshippers  of 
Diana;  that  thereby  the  testimony  of  the  witnesses 
might  be  counteracted  and  silenced.  It  has  been 
only  too  often  successful.  But  where  did  flattering 
demagogues  and  haughty  despots  find  the  sentiment? 
They  found  it  engraved  on  the  moral  constitution  of 
man  by  our  beneficent  Creator.  They  found  it  also 
transcribed  on  the  pages  of  objective  revelation, — 
the  Bible.     But,  like  other  moral  and  scriptural  prin- 


146  NOTES   ON 

ciples,  it  has  been  perverted  and  misapplied  by  the 
perverse  ingenuity  of  wicked  men. — This  "voice 
from  heaven"  is  indeed  the  loeoioUh  voice;  and  it  is 
legitimate,  as  coming  from  the  people,  because  it  is 
first  the  voice  of  God.  The  "heaven''  here  men- 
tioned is  the  seat  of  civil  power, — "the  ordinance  of 
man."  (1  Pet.  ii.  13.)  In  the  times  here  contem- 
plated,— millennial  times, — the  rights  of  men  will  be 
respected,  predicated  upon  the  rights  of  God,  and 
flowing  from  them  as  inseparable.  In  settling  the 
point  of  title  to  civil  sovereignty,  or  the  eligibility  of 
any  candidate  for  civil  office,  the  principle  enun- 
ciated by  Hushai  the  Archite  will  be  found  to  be 
alone  reliable: — "Whom  the  Lord  and  this  people 
choose.''  (2  Sam.  xvi.  18.)  Only  let  the  Lord  have 
the  first  choice  of  candidates  for  office  in  both  church 
and  state,  and  society  will  be  prosperous  and  happy. 
Acts  i.  23,  24;  vi.  5.)  The  "great  voice"  of  the 
12th  verse,  comes  from  "heaven,''  as  the  "great 
voices  "  of  the  15th  verse,  announcing  the  millennium. 

13.  And  ttie  same  hour  was  there  a  great  earthquake,  and 
the  tenth  part  of  the  city  fell,  and  in  the  earthquake  were 
slain  of  men  seven  thousand:  and  the  remnant  were  affrighted, 
and  gave  glory  to  the  God  of  heaven. 

V.  13. — "The  same  hour"  that  the  witnesses  mark 
by  their  resurrection, — contemporaneously  with  that 
joyful  event,  is  *'a  great  earthquake,'' — a  revolu- 
tion, (ch.  vi.  12.)  "The  tenth  part  of  the  city  fell.'' 
The  city,— "Sodom."  "Tenth  part  of  the  city,"— 
a  "street,"  equivalent  to  "horn."  Some  one  of  the 
"ten  kingdoms''  will  secede  from  the  antichristian 
confederacy,  or  imperial  dominion;  "and  the  rem- 
nant,"— the  other  nine,  dreading  the  Mediator's  ven- 
geance, will  reluctantly  but  speedily  submit.  (See 
ch.  vi.  16,  17.) — Li  the  "earthquake  were  slain  of 
men  (names,  titles,)  seven  thousand.''     By  "names 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  147 

of  mon  "  to  be  slain, — tliat  is,  abolished  in  reorga- 
nized society,  we  are  to  understand  those  "names  of 
blasphemy"  mentioned,  (ch.  xiii.  1,)  hereafter  to  be 
explained. 

We  have  now  taken  a  very  cursory  view  of  the 
contents  of  the  "little  open  book.''  Its  place  is  be- 
tween the  termination  of  the  fourth,  and  the  sounding 
of  the  seventh  trumpet.  In  other  words,  it  gives  an 
outline  of  the  contest  between  the  witnesses  and  Anti- 
christ during  1*260  years, — events  running  parallel 
in  time,  at  least  in  part,  with  the  first  two  woe-trum- 
pets ;  for  it  obviously  anticipates  also,  the  effects  of 
the  third  and  last  woe. 

This  may  be  as  suitable  a  place  as  any  other,  be- 
fore proceeding  to  a  consideration  of  the  seventh 
trumpet,  to  direct  attention  to  the  method  which  In- 
finite Wisdom  has  chosen,  by  which  to  reveal  to  man- 
kind the  purposes  of  God  in  prophecy.  He  who 
alone  "knows  the  end  from  the  beginning," — who 
"from  ancient  times  has  declared  the  things  that  are 
not  yet  done,"  has  told  us  plainly, — "I  have  multi- 
plied visions,  and  used  simiUtudes,  by  the  ministry 
(handy)  of  the  prophets.''  (Hosea  xii,  10.)  Now  since 
God  has  multiplied  visions,  we  ought  not  to  think  it 
strange  if  the  same  important  events  in  providence 
be  predicted  by  several,  or  by  many  of  the  prophets; 
or  that  one  and  the  same  important  event  be  fore- 
told "at  sundry  times  and  in  diverse  manners"  by 
the  same  prophet.  How  often,  and  by  how  many 
prophets  was  the  dispersion  of  the  Jews  foretold!  — 
the  downfall  of  ancient  cities,  Babylon,  Nineveh, 
Tyre! — Need  we  refer  to  the  language  of  our  Lord, 
addressed  to  his  disciples  on  the  way  to  Emmaus? — 
"And  beginning  at  Moses,  and  all  the  prophets,  he 
expounded  unto  them  in  all  the  Scriptures  the  things 
concerning  himself."  (Luke  xxiv.  27.)     We  may  be 


148  NOTES   ON 

sure  that  the  things  concerning  Christ  and  the  inte- 
rests of  his  kingdom  in  this  world,  are  the  theme  of 
inspired  prophets  in  the  New  Testament  as  well  as 
in  the  old.  Agreeably  to  these  views,  we  find  Nebu- 
chadnezzar's dream  and  Daniel's  visions  relate  to  .the 
same  objects  and  events.  What  was  more  obscurely 
revealed  in  the  monarch's  dream,  is  rendered  more 
intelligible  by  various  symbols  in  Daniel's  first  vi- 
sion. (Dan.  ii.  36-45;  vii.  17-27.)  But  in  the  next, 
the  eighth  chapter,  Daniel  is  favored  with  still  clearer 
information  relative  to  what  he  had  already  seen  in 
vision ;  and  in  the  eleventh  chapter,  his  attention  is 
called  to  the  most  obscure,  but  most  interesting  parts 
of  his  former  visions;  and,  after  all,  the  "vision  is 
sealed,''  so  that  he  sees  not  *'the  end  of  these 
things.''  (ch.  xii.  8,  9.)  "I  heard,  but  I  understood 
not,"  (1  Pet.  i.  10,  11.) 

In  this  book,  styled  Apocalypse,  or  Revelation, 
we  are  told  in  the  first  verse,  that  the  Lord  Christ 
"signified," — made  known  hy  signs,  to  his  servant 
John  the  things  that  were  to  come  to  pass.  We 
have  thus  far  seen  that  the  customary  method  has 
been  pursued  in  using  signs,  symbols  or  emblems. 
Henceforth  we  will  find  "multiplied  visions"  em- 
ployed, more  clearly  to  illustrate  events  which  have 
already  passed  under  review,  but  of  which  we  could 
see  little  more  than  a  profile: — "men,  as  trees  walk- 
ing." 

14.  The  second  woe  is  past;  and,  behold,  the  third  woe 
Cometh  quickly. 

15.  And  the  seventh  angel  sounded:  and  there  were  great 
voices  in  heaven,  saying,  The  kingdoms  of  this  world  are 
become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord,  and  of  his  Christ;  and  he 
shall  reign  forever  and  ever. 

Vs.  14,15. — "The  third  wo  cometh  quickly,'' — 
the  time  elapsing  since  the  end  of  the  second,  is  not, 
to  be  so  long  as  that  intervening  betw^een  the  first 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  149 

two  woes. — The  first  wo  is  thoucflit  to  have  besiun 
about  the  year  612,  and  continuing  by  the  Saracenic 
conquests  about  150  years,  to  have  terminated  in 
.762.  The  second  woe- trumpet,  it  is  alleged,  sounded 
about  1281,  and  continuing  for  391  years, — the  pe- 
riod of  the  ravages  by  the  Euphratean  horsemen, 
ended  about  1672.  The  destructive  infxuence,  how- 
ever, of  these  two  judgments,  may  be  considered  as 
reaching  to  the  time  of  the  third  woe,  the  one  which 
is  to  demolish  the  whole  antichristian  fabric. 

Many  eminent  expositors,*  in  the  early  part  of  the 
present  century,  while  the  first  Napoleon  was  waging 
successful  war  with  the  other  powers  of  Europe,  ex- 
pressed their  belief  with  much  confidence,  that  the 
seventh  angel  had  begun  to  sound.  They  were  evi- 
dently mistaken.  Christendom  will  not  fail  to  hear 
the  voice  of  the  third  woe.  It  may  be  so  that  an  in- 
dividual may  "not  be  conscious  of  having  an  interest 
inconsistent  with  fidelity  to  the  Scriptures,"  while 
political  "bias''  may  in  fact  so  influence  "  sentiments, 
as  to  render  conviction  less  dependent  upon  evidence 
than  upon  his  tuisJies.'^'  And  we  doubt  not  that  mis- 
apprehensions and  misinterpretation  of  "the  other 
scriptures,"  are  to  be  attributed  to  this  cause,  insen- 
sibly influencing  the  minds  and  hearts  of  learned  and 
godly  men,  as  well  as  in  their  expositions  of  the 
Apocalypse.  Indeed  the  misapplying  of  God's  word, 
precept  and  prophecy,  to  political  and  ecclesiastical 
organizations,  has  been  the  principal  means  of  com- 
bining  and   continuing   the   antichristian   apostacy. 

*  "It  has  been  our  lot  to  hear  the  voice  of  the  third  woe," 
Faber. — "In  this  I  entirely  agree  with  that  expositor." 
M'Leod.  The  blinding  influence  of  earth's  politics  upon  the 
minds  of  pious  men,  has  often  occasioned  the  hearts  of  their 
brethren  to  "sigh  for  their  inconsistency."     * 


150  NOTES  ON 

Thus  it  is  precisely,  that  the  great  adversary  has 
been  successful,  as  "an  angel  of  light." 

"The  Httle  book"  has  been  shown  to  contain  such 
extensive  and  important  events  as  to  justify  the  so- 
lemnity accompanying  its  delivery  to  the  apostle. — 
He  now  resumes  the  subject  which  had  been  in- 
terrupted at  the  close  of  the  ninth  chapter. — The 
''great  voices  in  heaven"  represent  the  expressions 
of  joy  by  the  saints  on  hearing  the  voice  of  the  last 
of  the  trumpets,  as  assuring  them  of  the  happy  change 
in  the  moral  condition  of  the  world,  which  they  had 
been  warranted  to  expect  by  God's  "servants  the 
prophets''  from  the  days  of  old,  (ch.  x.  7.)  The 
great,  the  universal  change  consists  in  this: — "The 
kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become  the  kingdoms  of 
our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ.''  The  English  supple- 
ment,— "the  kingdoms,"  is  justified  and  required, 
equally  by  the  sense  and  the  laws  of  syntax:  and  he 
is  a  deceiver,  if  a  scholar,  who  insists  upon  any  other, 
to  supply  the  ellipsis.  Indeed,  the  omission  of  simi- 
lar supplements,  has  occasioned  needless  obscurity  to 
the  unlearned  in  other  parts  of  this  book.  (See  chs. 
xix.  10;  xxii.  9.)  The  greatest  of  all  revolutions 
consists  in  restoring  church  and  state  to  their  scrip- 
tural foundation, — transferring  both  from  allegiance 
to  "the  god  of  this  world,"  (Matt.  iv.  8;  Luke  iv.  5, 
6;)  to  their  rightful  owner, — "the  Lord  and  his 
Anointed.''  (Ps.  ii.  2,  8.)  When  this  desirable  epoch 
arrives,  for  which  the  persecuted  witnesses  have  long 
and  fervently  prayed,  (ch.  vi.  10,)  gospel  ministers 
and  Christian  magistrates  will  seek  to  do  the  will, 
and  aim  at  the  glory  of  God. — It  is  painful  and  piti- 
able to  hear  learned  and  pious  men  often  pray, — 
"That  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  may  soon  become 
the  kingdom  "of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ." 
This  is  to  "ask  amiss," — to  miss  the  promise;  for 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  151 

no  such  promise  is  on  record.  The  groundless 
conception  confounds  the  revealed  distinctions  in 
the  Godhead, — the  Father  with  the  Mediator;  and 
it  would  subvert  Jehovah's  moral  empire,  annihilating 
the  eternal  principle  of  representative  identification ! 
But  those  good  men  "mean  not  so,  neither  do  their 
hearts  think  so."  They  ought,  however,  to  be  more 
careful  and  diligent  in  "  searching  the  Scriptures." — 
If  the  scriptural  significance  of  this  joyful  announce- 
ment "in  heaven''  were  better  understood  by  gospel 
ministers  generally,  a  chief  barrier  would  be  removed, 
which  now  obstructs  the  advent  of  the  millennium. 
Would  they  but  cease,  their  hearers  might  more  rea- 
dily cease,  to  "wonder  after  the  beast.''  But  we  may 
not  anticipate. 

"He,  (Christ,)  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever." 
When  the  seventh  trumpet,  the  third  woe,  shall  have 
accomplished  its  object,  in  the  utter  destruction  of 
immoral  power,  and  the  1260  years  shall  have  come 
to  an  end,  no  other  successful  combination  shall  ever 
again  be  permitted  to  assail  and  harass  the  city  of 
the  Lord: — "of  his  government  there  shall  be  no 
end."  (Dan.  vii.  27.)  "All  dominions  shall  serve 
and  obey  him.''  The  final  enterprise  of  Gog  and 
Magog  shall  not  succeed,  (ch,  xx.  7-9.) 

16.  And  the  four  and  twenty  elders,  wliicli  sat  before  God, 
on  their  seats,  fell  upon  ther  faces,  and  worshipped  God, 

17.  Saying,  We  give  thee  thanks,  0  Lord  God  Almighty, 
which  art,  and  wast,  and  art  to  come;  because  thou  hast  taken 
to  thee  thy  great  power,  and  hast  reigned. 

18.  And  the  nations  were  angry,  and  thy  wrath  is  come, 
and  the  time  of  the  dead,  that  they  should  be  judged,  and 
that  thou  shouldst  give  reward  unto  thy  servants  the  prophets, 
and  to  the  saints,  and  them  that  fear  thy  name,  small  and 
great;  and  shouldst  destroy  them  which  destroy  the  earth. 

Vs.  16-18. — These  verses  give  us  a  glimpse  of  the 
times  following  the  last  woe  till  the  end  of  the  world. 


152  NOTES   ON 

The  "elders,"  the  representatives, — not  of  the  mi- 
nistry, as  prelates  dream,  but  of  the  collective  body 
of  God's  people,  now  that  they  are  emancipated  from 
a  longer  and  more  cruel  bondage  than  that  of  their 
fathers  in  the  literal  Egypt,  "give  thanks  to  God" 
for  the  display  of  his  *' great  power''  in  their  deliver- 
ance. Many  times  had  he  made  bare  his  holy  arm 
in  past  ages  on  behalf  of  his  people:  but  this  is  in 
their  eyes  the  most  signal  display  of  his  power. 
"Thou  hast  taken  to  thee  thy  great  power." — He 
now  exercises  his  power  over  the  nations,  which  was 
his  before;  their  "anger''  in  the  time  of  their-  rebel- 
lion is  now  repressed, — Messiah's  "wrath  is  come,'' 
heavier  wrath  than  that  which  fell  upon  Rome  pagan: 
(ch.  vi.  16,  17.)  Then  follows  an  intimation  of  the 
final  judgment,  and  suitable  "rewards."  Our  curi- 
osity is  excited  here,  but  not  gratified;  but  while 
left  in  suspense,  we  may,  with  Daniel  and  the  virgin 
Mary, — "keep  these  things  in  our  heart.''  (Dan.  vii. 
28;  Luke  ii.  19.)  Farther  light  will  be  given,  (ch. 
XX.  11-13.) 

19.  And  the  temple  of  God  was  opened  in  heaven,  and 
there  was  seen  in  his. temple  the  ark  of  his  testament:  and 
there  were  lightnings,  and  voices,  and  thunderings,  and  an 
earthquake,  and  great  hail. 

V.  19.— The  inspired  books  of  the  Bible  were  di- 
vided into  chapters,  verses  and  other  parts,  for  the 
convenience  of  reference.  But  those  who  performed 
this  useful  service  were  imperfect  like  ourselves,  and 
therefore  we  are  at  liberty  to  differ  from  them  in  our 
arrangement.  Now  it  seems  evident  that  the  18th 
verse  closes  this  chapter  with  a  concise  account  of 
the  ending  of  the  last  woe.  But  the  last  woe  reaches 
to  the  final  consummation  of  all  things  as  we  have 
already  seen:  it  follows  that  the  nineteenth  verse 
must  introduce  a  new  subject.     Similar  mistakes  may 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  153 

be  seen  in  numerous  instances  elsewhere  in  our  Bi- 
bles. 

But  although  a  new  vision  is  pre?!ented  in  the 
twelfth  chapter,  the  two  principal  parties  delineated 
in  the  eleventh,  engage  the  apostle's  attention.  And 
as  preparatory  to  future  scenes,  "the  temple  of  God 
was  opened  in  heaven."  "  Out  of  Zion,  the  perfec- 
tion of  beauty,  God  hath  shined."  Before  the  follow- 
ing scene  of  warfare,  John  is  favored  with  a  view  of 
the  "ark  of  the  testament,'' — a  symbol  of  the  cove- 
nant of  grace,  which  shall  continue  to  be  administered 
in  the  worst  of  times;  and  the  opposition  to  which, 
in  its  external  dispensation,  is  emblematically  set  forth 
by  "lightnings,'' — as  well  as  the  tokens  of  Jehovah's 
presence  and  avenging  judgments:  for  these  awful 
symbols,  taken  from  fearful  convulsions  in  nature, 
are  usually  indicative  of  the  tremendous  judgments 
of  God. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

1.  And  there  appeared  a  great  wonder  in  heaven:  a  woman 
clothed  with  the  sun,  and  the  moon  under  her  feet,  and  upon 
her  head  a  crown  of  twelve  stars; 

2.  And  she,  being  with  child,  cried,  travailing  in  birth, 
and  pained  to  be  delivered. 

Vs.  1,  2. — The  Apocalypse,  besides  the  three  parts 
into  w^hich  it  is  divided  by  its  divine  Author,  (no- 
ticed in  ch.  i.  19,)  is  also  susceptible  of  division 
into  two  parts.  With  the  eleventh  chapter  terminates 
the  abridged  prospective  history  of  the  church  and 
of  the  world,  emblematically  represented  under  the 
seals  and  trumpets.  The  seventh  seal,  when  opened, 
disclosed  all  the  contents  of  the  sealed  book,  and 
also  introduced  the  seven  trumpets.  But  we  have 
followed  the  series  of  the  trumpets  in  order,  to  the 


154  NOTES   ON 

end  of  tlie  world, — interrupted  only  by  the  isolated 
history  of  the  "little  book;  which,  treating  of  events 
which  were  matter  of  history  under  the  first  two  woe- 
trumpets,  could  not  he  sealed.  Now  at  the  twelfth 
chapter,  without  regard  to  the  seventh,  or  any  other 
of  the  trumpets  in  particular,  we  are  furnished  with 
a  second  and  enlarged  edition,  as  it  were,  of  the  most 
important  parts  of  the  first  edition.  We  have  ob- 
served before,  that  this  is  the  manner  of  the  prophets 
on  a  large  scale,  especially  in  predicting  "the  suffer- 
ings of  Christ,  and  the  glory  that  should  follow.'' 
So  it  is  with  John  and  Paul.  What  the  latter  only 
hints  at,  when  writing  to  Timothy,  (1  Tim.  iv.  1-3,) 
he  enlarges  upon  in  addressing  the  Thessalonians. 
(2  Thess.  ii.  3-12.)  The  theme  is  the  same  as  treated 
by  these  two  apostles;  and  this  coincidence  will  in 
due  time  be  more  manifest.  Next  to  Christ  per- 
sonal, the  prophets  have  been  interested  in  the 
destiny  of  Christ  m3^stical. 

Three  different  views  of  this  twelfth  chapter  have 
been  taken  by  the  more  sober  and  learned  expositors. 
One  considers  it  as  referring  to  the  Roman  empire  in 
its  heathen  state,  prior  to  the  time  of  Constantine. 
Another  understands  the  first  part  of  this  chapter, — 
(vs.  1-6,) — as  relating  to  Rome  pagan,  and  the  rest 
of  the  chapter  to  antichristian  Rome.  A  third  con- 
ceives that  the  whole  of  it  applies  to  apostate  im- 
perial Rome  only.  The  last  is  doubtless  the  correct 
view. 

As  the  "sealed  book''  and  the  "httle  open  book," 
must  be  supposed  to  contain  all  the  prophetical  part 
of  the  Apocalypse;  and  as  the  whole  of  the  little  book 
is  comprised  in  the  eleventh  chapter,  (vs.  1-13,)  this 
twelfth  chapter  must  belong  to  the  sealed  book. 
Being  a  continuance  of  the  history  under  the  seventh 
seal,  although  it  may  agree  in  time  with  some  of  the 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  155 

trumpets,  it  cannot  go  back  to  a  period  prior  to  the 
seventh  seal.  But  under  the  sixth  seal,  paganism 
was  abolished  in  the  Roman  empire;  therefore  this 
chapter  refers  to  the  antichristian  empire.  More- 
over, as  the  little  book  was  introductory  to  the  se- 
venth trumpet,  designating  the  object  of  the  third 
woe,  so  this  chapter  and  the  next  two,  are  wholly  oc- 
cupied in  describing  the  object  of  the  vials,  (ch.  16.) 

We  ought  to  bear  in  mind  continually,  that  the 
seals,  trumpets  and  vials,  are  introduced  as  symbols, 
to  delineate  one  character,  the  impenitent  enemy  of 
God  and  of  his  saints.  But  this  enemy  "beguiles 
through  his  subtlety,''  changing  his  aspects  and  in- 
struments, the  more  successfully  to  assail  the  city  of 
the  Lord.  It  is  therefore  the  design  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  these  three  chapters  to  present  the  foe  in 
his  most  prominent  features,  that  the  two  witnesses 
may  be  able  to  identify  the  enemy,  be  apprized  of 
their  danger,  and  intelligently  choose  their  command- 
er,— "the  Captain  of  salvation. 

"There  appeared  a  great  w^onder  in  heaven."  The 
word  "wonder"  in  this  verse,  and  also  in  verse  third, 
simply  means  a  sign  or  symbol;  and  the  whole 
structure  of  the  book  requires  that  it  be  so  transla- 
ted.— "Woman''  is  here  the  true  church  of  God. 
Here  most  expositors  fail  to  explain  the  symbol  "hea- 
ven.'' Others  say  "heaven"  symbolizes  the  church. 
Then  we  have  two  chm^ches, — a  church  within  a 
church !  This  is  unquestionably  the  only  correct 
view  of  the  matter.  During  most,  if  not  the  whole 
period  of  the  1260  years,  the  witnesses  are  so  blended 
with,  or  overshadowed  by  the  church  cathohc  or  ge- 
neral, that  few  are  able,  and  fewer  still  disposed, 
to  distinguish  the  one  from  the  other.  All  through 
the  Bible  the  church  is  spoken  of  as  a  female.  She 
is  the  "daughter  of  Zion, — the  bride,  the  Lamb's 


156  NOTES    ON 

wife.''  Any  body  politic  is  spoken  of  in  the  sacred 
-writings  in  the  same  style.  "  The  daughter  of  Ba- 
bylon, of  Tyre,  or  even  of  Egypt," — These  are  fa- 
miliar figures. 

This  woman  is  *' clothed  with  the  sun."  She  has 
"put  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.''  (Rom.  xiii.  14.) 
He  is  **the  Lord  her  righteousness.''  (Jer.  xxiii.  6.) 
The  "moon  under  her  feet,''  may  represent  the  "beg- 
garly elements"  of  the  Mosaic  ritual,  sublunary 
things,  or  the  ordinances  which  derive  all  their  light 
fiom  the  "Sun  of  righteousness."  The  "twelve 
stars"  are  the  doctrine  of  the  apostles,  or  rather  the 
apostles'  legitimate  successors;  their  legitimacy  tesi- 
ed  by  their  doctrine  and  order  in  opposition  to  the 
imaginary  historical  line  of  papistical  and  prelatic 
succession.  A  faithful  gospel  ministry  are  ever  her 
stars  and  her  crown,  (ch.  i.  20.)  The  true  apostolic 
church,  thus  scripturally  constituted,  (ch.  xi.  1,)  be- 
comes the  joyful  mother  of  a  holy  seed.  (Ps.  cxiii.  9; 
Gal  iv.  26,  27.) 

3.  And  there  appeared  another  wonder  in  heaven,  and, 
behold,  a  great  red  dragon,  having  seven  heads,  and  ten  horns, 
and  seven  crowns  upon  liis  heads. 

4.  And  his  tail  drew  the  third  part  of  the  stars  of  heaven, 
and  did  cast  them  to  the  earth:  and  the  dragon  stood  before 
the  woman  which  was  ready  to  be  delivered,  for  to  devour 
her  child  as  soon  as  it  was  born. 

5.  And  she  brought  forth  a  man-child,  who  was  to  rule  all 
nations  with  a  rod  of  iron:  and  her  child  was  caught  up  unto 
God,  and  to  his  throne, 

6.  And  the  woman  fled  into  the  wilderness,  where  she  hath 
a  place  prepared  of  God,  that  they  should  feed  her  there  a 
thousand  two  hundred  and  threescore  days. 

Vs.  3-6. — The  next  "sign  in  heaven,''  exciting 
the  apostle's  admiration,  was  "a  great  red  dragon, 
having  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,'' — The  dragon  is 
fully  described,  v.  9,  leaving  no  place,  or  even  pre- 
tence for  conjecture.     He  is  known  from  the  day  that 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  157 

he  "beguiled  Eve''  in  the  garden  of  Eden.  "That 
old  serpent''  still  intrudes  among  the  saints,  in  the 
garden  of  the  Lord.  (Job  i.  G;  John  vi.  70;  xiii.  27.) 
As  the  devil  possessed  the  serpent  to  deceive  the  mo- 
ther of  mankind,  so,  with  the  same  malevolent  design, 
he  possessed  himself  of  the  whole  political  and  eccle- 
siastical power  of  the  Roman  empire,  thereby  to  de- 
ceive and  destroy  the  "  seed  of  the  woman,''  all  true 
believers.  Ilis  color  is  red^  denoting  his  character  as 
cruel  and  blood-thirsty.  Sir  Isaac  Newton  considers 
the  dragon  as  symboUcal  of  the  Greek  Christian  em- 
pire of  Constantinople.  Scott  thinks  this  symbol 
represents  the  pagan  Roman  empire;  while  others 
suppose  the  British  government  to  answer  the  symbol, 
because  of  the  scarlet  costume  of  her  officers  and  sol- 
diers! Thus,  inspired  symbols  may  mean  any  thing 
suggested  to  the  imaginations  of  men,  not  by  the  text 
or  context,  but  by  their  respective  and  conflicting  po- 
Ittical  prejudices.  Surely,  if  the  red  color  signify  any 
thing  besides  cruelty^  it  may  be  discerned  with  equal 
clearness  in  the  scarlet  cloaks  of  Pope  and  Cardinals. 
As  "heaven''  is  to  be  taken  in  an  ecclesiastical  sense, 
so  are  the  "stars,"  (ch.  i.  20, — )  "the  angels  of  the 
churches,'"  ministers  of  the  gospel. — As  the  Sarace- 
nic locusts  and  the  Euphratean  horses  had  stings  and 
hurtful  power  in  their  tails,  (ch.  ix.  10,  19;)  so  it  is 
with  this  dragon.  The  destructive  influence  of  Ma* 
hometan  delusion  and  papal  idolatry,  operated  as  a 
fatal  poison  in  the  souls  of  men.  The  judgments  of 
the  past  woes  left  many  still  in  a  state  of  impenitence, 
(ch.  ix.  20,  21.)  "The  leaders  of  this  people  caused 
them  to  err,"  by  incuh^ating  submission  to  existing 
corrupt  civil  powder.  The  "little  horn"  of  Daniel, 
as  first  rendered  visible  in  the  person  of  the  brutal 
Phocas,  began  to  be  addressed  in  language  of  most 
fulsome  and  degrading  flattery,  wdiich  seems  to  bo 
11 


158  NOTES    ON 

copied  till  the  present  time.  That  we  may  see  how 
mercenary  and  aspiring  ecclesiastics  paid  court  to 
civil  despots  from  the  commencement  of  the  famous 
12()0  years,  let  the  following  instance  serve  for  a 
sample.  Addressing  the  monster  Phocas,  Pope  Gre- 
gory, as  the  mouth  of  the  clergy  and  laity,*  uses  this 
language:  ''We  rejoice  that  the  benignity  oi  your  pie- 
ty  {\)  has  reached  the  pinnacle  of  imperial  power. 
Let  the  heavens  be  glad  and  the  earth  rejoice.'' — 
Now  let  us  hear  the  character  of  Phocas  from  the  pen 
of  an  infidel: — "Ignorant  of  letters,  of  laws,  and  even 
of  arms,  he  indulged  in  the  supreme  rank  a  more 
ample  privilege  of  lust  and  drunkenness. — The  pu- 
nishment of  the  victims  of  his  tyranny  was  imbittered 
by  the  refinements  of  cruelty:  their  eyes  were  pierced, 
their  tongues  were  torn  from  the  root,  their  hands  and 
feet  were  amputated:  some  expired  under  the  lash, 
others  in  the  flames,  others  again  were  transfixed  with 
arrows:  and  a  simple  speedy  death  was  mercy  w^hich 
they  could  rarely  obtain. ''f  Thus  the  dragon's  power 
was  in  his  mouth,  issuing  bloody  edicts  to  "slay  the 
innocent;''  while  "his  tail  drew  the  third  part  of  the 
stars  of  heaven,  and  did  cast  them  to  the  earth." 
They  prostituted  their  ministry  to  sustain  the  policy 
of  the  beast.  "The  ancient  and  honorable,  he  is 
the  head;  and  the  prophet  that  teacheth  lies,  he  is 
the  tail."  (Is.  ix.l5.)  Thus  it  is  that  pastors,  fond 
of  show  and  ambitious  of  worldly  distinction,  attach 
themselves  to  the  train  of  earthly  thrones  and  digni- 
ties, and  so  constitute  and  perpetuate  the  antichristian 
confederacy  against  the  "woman" — the  true  church. 

*  The  terms  "  clergy  and  laity"  are  of  papal  origin,  and 
the  unlearned  Christian  should  know  that  they  are  contrary 
to  the  mind  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  1  Pet.  v.  3.  The  body  of  the 
people  are  "  God's  heritage," — clergy. 

t  Gibbon. 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  159 

During  the  first  six  hundred  years  of  the  Christian 
era,  the  woman  had  been  "travailing"  to  bring  forth 
a  holy  progeny.  All  this  time  the  dragon's  "eyes 
are  privily  set  against  the  poor."  (Ps.  x.  8.)  The 
allusion  is  here  to  the  cruel  edict  of  Pharoah.  (Exod. 
i.  16  ;  Acts  vii.  19.)  llie  great  city  where  the  wit- 
nesses are  slain  is  ''spiritually  called  Egypt.''  (ch. 
xi.  8.)  By  a  like  form  of  speech,  Pharoah  is  called 
"the  great  dragon,''  (Ezek.  xxix.  8;  Is.  li.  9.)  It 
should  be  noted,  that  the  Roman  empire,  the  beast, 
in  all  its  heads  and  horns  is  actuated  by  the  devil, — 
before  as  well  as  after  its  dismemberment,  from  the 
time  of  Romulus  its  founder,  till  its  overthrow  by  the 
third  woe.  At  the  time  referred  to  in  the  text,  when 
the  empire  has  "assumed  the  livery  of  heaven," — 
professedly  in  the  interest  of  Christ,  then  it  is  that 
the  devil  bestirs  himself.  Like  his  prototype,  he 
dreads  the  growth  and  power  of  the  woman's  offspring. 
Under  pagan  Rome's  persecutions,  "the  more  God's 
people  were  afflicted,  the  more  they  multiplied  and 
grew.''  Now  the  adversary  shapes  his  policy  ac- 
cordingly.— "Come  on,  let  us  deal  wisely  with  them, 
lest  they  multiply." — His  avowed  object  is,  to  "de- 
vour the  child  as  soon  as  it  is  born," — by  persecution 
to  prevent  ministers  from  laboring  to  convert  sinners 
to  God;  and  to  destroy  all  Avho  "as  new-born  babes, 
desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word." — The  woman 
had  still  "strength  to  bring  forth." — "She  brought 
forth  a  man  child,  who  was  to  rule  all  nations  with  a 
rod  of  iron.'' — With  united  voice  papists  and  pre- 
lates declare,  this  child  can  be  no  other  than  Con- 
stantino the  first  Christian  emperor.  The  very  fact 
that  this  interpretation  comes  from  such  a  source, 
may  well  suggest  suspicion  as  to  its  correctness. 
Two  considerations  demonstrate  the  error  of  this  pre- 
latic  interpretation,  besides  the  fact  that  it  is  prelatic. 


160  NOTES   ON 

Constantine  had  gone  the  way  of  all  the  earth  some 
hundreds  of  years  before  the  birth  of  this  child. 
And  again,  the  eternal  Father  never  made  the  pro- 
mise to  Constantine  or  any  other  earthly  monarch, 
to  which  the  apostle  John  here  refers.  (Ps.  ii.  8,  9.) 
This  promise  is  obviously  made  to  the  Lord  Christ. 
But  it  is  objected  by  those  learned  expositor^j — much 
like  the  Pharisees,  (John  vii.  52,) — "Search  and  look, 
for  out  of  Galilee  ariseth  no  prophet.''  So  reason 
these  men.  They  haughtily  and  confidently  object 
thus: — "Christ  is  the  son  of  the  Jewish  church,  but 
this  child  is  the  son  of  the  Clirutian  church.''  This 
argument  destroys  the  unity  of  the  church  of  God, 
which  is  one  under  all  changes  of  dispensation  of  his 
gracious  covenant.  (Rom.  xi.  16-24;  Eph.  ii.  20.) 
The  Messiah  is  here  represented  as  in  the  beginning 
of  the  war  with  the  same  enemy; — the  .seec?  of  the 
woman  shall  bruise  the  serpent's  head.  Still  may 
the  church  of  God  joyfully  declare, — ''Unto  us  a 
Child  is  born,  unto  us  a  Son  is  gjiven."  (Is.  ix.  6.) 
This  masculine  son,  however,  is  not  to  be  understood 
of  C\\Y\^i  personal^  but  of  Christ  mystical, — of  those 
who  are  with  him  "called,  and  chosen,  and  faithful ;" 
whom  '-he  is  not  ashamed  to  call  his  brethren."  (ch. 
xvii.  14;  Heb.  ii.  11.)  The  "sealed''  company, 
(ch.  vii.  4,)  the  "two  witnesses;''  (xi.  3,  the  "144 
thousand,"  (xiv.  1,)  are  the  "manchild."  As  many 
rulers  constitute  but  one  ''angel,"  (chs.  ii.  and  iii.,) 
so  the  two  witnesses  are  one  manly  Son.  The  Lord 
Jesus  was  alone  in  the  work  of  redemption  ;  but  he 
allows  his  faithful  disciples  to  share  in  the  honor  of 
his  victories,  (ch.  ii.  26,  27;  Ps.  cxlix.  9.)  From 
the  devouring  jaws  of  the  dragon,  as  it  were,  the 
"child  is  caught  up  unto  God,  and  to  his  throne." 
The  leaders  in  church  and  state  supposed  that  they 
had   "made  sure''  of  the  Saviour,  when  they  had 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  ]61 

"sealed  the  stone  and  set  a  watch."  So  thoup^ht 
the  enemies  of  the  witnesses  while  their  dead  hodies 
lay  unburiei. — "  He  that  sitteth  in  the  heavens  shall 
laugh:  the  Lord  shall  have  them  in  derision."  The 
Anointed  of  the  Father,  the  Head  of  the  church, 
and  Prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth,  as  the  repre- 
sentative of  his  people,  in  defiance  of  the  serpent,  is 
caught  up  to  the  throne  of  God,  (Eph.  ii.  6;)  while 
the  church  flies  to  her  appointed  place  in  the  wilder- 
ness during  the  1260  years.  At  the  beginning  of 
that  gloomy  period  the  woman  fled.  This  flight  is 
not  mentioned  "by  anticipation,"  as  some  suppose; 
for  the  wilderness  condition  of  the  woman,  and  the 
sackcloth  of  the  witnesses,  are  emblematical  of  the 
same  depressed  state  of  the  church,  and  during  the 
same  time.  The  witnesses  prophesy  during  the  whole 
period  of  the  1260  years;  and  the  woman  is  fed  in 
the  wilderness  during  the  same  time.  Her  flight, 
sojourn  in  the  wilderness,  and  feeding  there,  are  al- 
lusions to  the  history  of  Elijah  as  before,  (ch.  xi.  6,) 
when  he  fled  for  his  life  from  the  wrath  of  Jezebel. 
(1  Kings  xix.  1-4.)  Jezebel  has  been  already  intro- 
duced as  an  enemy  to  the  church,  f  ch.  ii.  20.)  There 
may  be  allusion  also  to  the  miraculous  subsistence  of 
the  church  in  the  wilderness,  till  the  **cup  of  the 
Amorites  should  be  full.''  During  the  time  of  the 
conflict,  to  be  described  in  the  rest  of  this  chapter, 
the  woman  is  in  a  place  of  safety.  In  the  worst  of 
times  there  are  places  of  safety  provided  for  God's 
children.     (Isa.  xxvi.  20.) 

7.  And  there  was  war  in  heaven:  Micliael  and  Ms  angels 
fought  against  the  dragon;  and  the  dragon  fought,  and  his 
angels, 

8.  And  prevailed  not;  neither  was  their  place  found  any- 
more in  heaven, 

9.  And  the  great  dragon  was  cast  out,  that  old  serpent, 
called  the  Devil,  and  Satan,  which  deceiveth  the  whole  world: 


162 


NOTES   ON 


he  was  cast  out  into  the  earth,  and  his  angels  were  cast  ou 
witli  him. 

10.  And  I  heard  a  loud  voice  saying  in  heaven,  Now  is 
come  salvation,  and  strength,  and  the  kingdom  of  our  God, 
and  the  power  of  his  Christ;  for  the  accuser  of  our  brethren 
is  cast  down,  which  accused  them  before  our  God  day  and 
night. 

11.  And  they  overcame  him  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and 
by  the  word  ot  their  testimony;  and  they  loved  not  their  Uves 
unto  the  death. 

Vs.  7-11. — In  this  part  of  the  chapter  we  have 
three  attacks  of  the  dragon  upon  the  friends  of  true 
religion.  The  tirst  is  the  war  in  heaven,  (vs.  7-12.) 
The  second  persecution  on  the  earth,  (vs.  12-16.) 
The  third  is  mentioned  in  verse  17th:  and  these 
three  contests  cover  the  whole  period  of  the  1260 
years. 

The  first  war  is  waged  in  heaven.  The  allusion 
is  obviously  to  the  rebellion  of  angels,  for  which  they 
were  cast  down  from  heaven,  (2  Pet.  ii.  4.)  The 
contest  is  the  same  in  principle  as  the  first  war ;  but 
it  is  conducted  in  a  different  form  and  place.  Hea- 
ven here,  is  the  church  general,  and  the  serpent  acts 
by  the  authority  of  .the  empire.  The  woman  having 
fled  into  the  wilderness,  the  dragon's  power  becomes 
so  great  in  the  symbolical  heaven,  that  he  aims  at 
the  entire  destruction  of  true  religion  in  the  world. 
The  advocates  of  the  true  religion  at  this  time  were 
the  Waldenses,  called  by  their  adversaries  in  derision 
Leonists  and  Cathari, — citizens  of  Lyons  in  France ; 
and  Puritans,  a  term  of  reproach  heaped  upon  their 
successors  till  the  present  day.  These  people  were 
deemed  the  most  dangerous  enemies  to  the  church 
of  Rome.  Yet  the  reasons  for  their  condemnation 
by  the  inquisitors,  are  their  full  vindication  in  the 
judgment  of  impartial  men.  They  are  three, — "  This 
is  the  oldest  sect;  for  some  say  it  hath  endured, — 
from  the  time  of  the  apostles.     It  is  more  general; 


THE    APOCALYPfiE.  163 

for  tliere  is  no  country  in  which  this  sect  is  not.     Be- 
cause when  all  otlier  sects  beget  horror  in  the  hearers, 
this  of  the  Leonists  hath  a  great  show  of  piety:  they 
live  justly  before  men,  and  believe  all  things  rightly 
concerning  God ;  only  they  blaspheme  the  church  of 
Rome  and   the   clergy."     While  the   beast   by   its 
horns,  instigated  by  an  apostate   church,  and  both 
by  the  dragon,  was  "making  havoc  of  the  church," 
represented  by    the  Puritans:  there  were  some  even 
in    the    Romish    cloisters   whose    hearts    God    had 
touched,  and  w^ho  occasionally  espoused  the  cause  of 
a  virtuous  minority  at  the  hazard  of  life.     This  war 
in  heaven^  conducted  with  various  success  by  Ber- 
nard, Peter  Waldo,  John  Wickliffe  and  others  on  the 
European  continent  and  in   Britain,  may   be    pro- 
nounced  by  Gibbon  "  premature  and   ineffectual ;" 
but  the  Captain  of  salvation  and  his  heroic  followers, 
will  give  a  different  verdict.     These  noble  confessors 
and  martyrs,  under  the  conduct  of  Michael  our  prince, 
began  the  struggle  w^ith  the  dragon,  although  the  war 
did  not  come  to  its  height  till  the  early  part  of  the  16th 
century.     Then  it  was  that  "Michael  and  his  angels 
fought  against  the  dragon,  and  the  dragon  fought  and 
his  angels."    Both  parties  became  more  visible  in  the 
symbolic  heaven  before  the  eyes  of  all  Christendom. 
Michael,  [wJio  is  like  God?)  is  the  well  known  de- 
scription of  Jesus   Christ.    (Phil.   ii.  6;  Heb.  i.  3.) 
To  Daniel,  while  contemplating  this  same  contest,  he 
was  made  known  as  the  "great  Prince,  that  standeth 
for  the  children  of  God's  people,''  and  long  before 
Daniel's  time,  had  "contended  with  the  devil.''  (Jude 
V.  9.)     "Christ  and  Belial"   are  therefore  the  two 
opposing  leaders  of  the    armies.     In  other  words, 
Christ  mystical  and  the  devil  incarnate  are  the  bel- 
ligerents; and  we  know  that  "greater  is  he  that  is 
in  the  saints,  than  he  that  is  in  the  world.''  (1  John 


164  NOTES  ON 

iv.  4.)  The  result  of  the  war  is  not  doubtful.  .  The 
whole  power  of  Rome,  civil  and  ecclesiastical, — em- 
perors, kings,  princes,  pope,  cardinals  and  prelates, 
were  baffled;  and  this  too,  whether  in  the  use  of  the 
sword  of  the  Spirit, — polemic  theses^ — or  of  the  ma- 
terial sword,  in  literal  warfare.  When  the  Lord  Je- 
sus "  mustered  the  hosts  to  the  battle,''  he  furnished 
them  "with  the  whole  armour  of  God  to  stand  in  the 
evil  way.''  When  Zuingle,  Luther,  Calvin,  Knox, 
their  compeers  and  successors,  were  obliged  to  wres- 
tle with  the  hosts  of  Antichrist, — "  against  principa- 
lities, against  powers,  against  the  rulers  of  the  dark- 
ness of  this  world,  against  spiritual  wickedness  in 
high  places,"  [wicked  spirits  in  heavenly  places,)  they 
found  it  both  lawful  and  necessary, — "having  no 
sword,  to  buy  one."  (Luke  xxii.  36.) 

The  dragon  and  his  angels  were  defeated  and  rout- 
ed,— "They  prevailed  not, — he  was  cast  out  into 
the  earth,  and  his  angels  were  cast  out  with  him." 
The  thunders  of  the  Vatican  thenceforth  lost  their 
wonted  power  to  terrify.  Ever  since,  they  are  but 
hrutum  fulmen^ — vox,  et  prceterea  nihel. — harmless 
thunder, — unmeaning  voice.  Papal  curses,  though 
annually  launched  against  all  heretics,  tend  only  to 
amuse  the  popular  mind,  not  to  reach  or  disturb  the 
individual  conscience.  For  centuries  the  dragon  has 
been  unable  to  rouse  any  one  horn  of  the  beast  to 
deeds  of  blood. 

It  is  usual  for  the  victors  to  give  outward  expres- 
sion to  their  joy.  ^'The  voice  of  them  that  shout 
for  mastery,"  has  been  heard  since  the  days  of  Moses. 
(Exod.  xxxii.  18.)  Accordingly,  these  conquerors 
congratulate  one  another  on  their  recent  victory,  but 
their  joy  terminates  on  the  proper  object.  The 
"kingdom  of  their  God  and  the  power  of  his  Christ " 
constitute  their  theme.     His  right  hand  and  his  holy 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  165 

arm  have  gotten  him  the  victory.  The  devil  accused 
Job  before  God.  His  accusations  in  that  instance 
were  prosecuted  through  Job's  friends  and  his  wife. 
(Job  ii.  4,  5,  9,  11.) — So  it  was  in  the  experience  of 
the  reformers.  They  were  loaded  with  infamy  by 
their  persecutors;  and  while  they  were  depressed, 
God  himself  seemed  to  give  sentence  against  them. 
This  was  the  wormwood  and  the  gall  in  the  cup  of 
their  affliction,  as  it  was  in  holy  Job's  experience: 
but  in  due  time  God  "  brought  forth  their  righteous- 
ness as  the  light,  and  their  judgment  as  the  noonday." 
Their  "good  conversation  put  to  silence  the  ignorance 
of  foolish  men."  The  power  of  the  Lord's  Christ 
was  made  manifest  through  the  instrumentality  of 
his  servarits,  by  producing  conviction  in  many  hearts 
that  the  cause  for  which  they  suffered  was  from  God, 
and  thus  prevailing  with  such  to  join  in  their  fellow- 
ship. The  hearts  of  kings  and  princes  of  the  earth 
were  touched  from  on  high ;  so  that  they  braved  the 
combinations  of  imperial  and  papal  power,  while  ex- 
tending the  shield  of  their  protection  to  the  followers 
of  the  Lamb.  Frederick  the  Wise,  and  especially 
John  his  brother,  electors  of  Saxony  in  Luther's 
time,  were  notable  bulwarks  of  defence  to  the  suffer- 
ers, against  the  bloody  edicts  of  Charles  fifth,  emperor 
of  Germany.  The ''good  regent ''in  Scotland  and 
others  extended  effectual  protection  to  Knox,  his 
coadjutors  and  followers  in  the  cause  of  reformation. 
When  the  seven  thunders  uttered  their  voices,  John 
'*was  about  to  write,"  (ch.  x.  4.)  He  was  about  to 
proclaim  a  final  victory!  He  was  too  sanguine. 
"The  time  was  not  yet.''  Just  so  in  the  case  of  his 
legitimate  successors  in  the  work  of  the  Lord.  Con- 
fident in  the  power  and  faithfulness  of  Michael  their 
Prince,  confident  in  the  righteousness  of  their  cause, 
fondly  hoping  that  at  this  time  their  Master  is  about 


166  NOTES    ON 

to  restore  again  the  kingdom  to  Israel,  they  prema- 
turely   exclaim, —  "Now    is    come    salvation." — In 
reaping  the  first  fruits  of  victory,  they  anticipate 
the  harvest  of  final  and  absolute  conquest,   (ch.  xiv. 
8.)     Indeed,  the  salvation  of  God  and  the  power  of 
his  Christ,  were  experienced  by  great  multitudes  du- 
ring the  time   of  this   contest.     The  saints  experi- 
enced times  of  refreshing  from  the  presence  of  the 
Lord.     Then  followed  a  work  of  grace,  both  on  the 
continent  of  Europe  and  in  the  British  Isles;  Chris- 
tians entering  into  solemn  covenant  bonds  with  God 
and  with  one  another,  whereby  the  kingdom  of  God 
was  rendered  more  visible  among  mankind  than  in 
the  "dark  ages.''     The   weapons,   with   which   the 
saints  overcame  the  dragon,  were  not  carnal,  but 
mighty.     These,  we  are  told,  were  "the  blood  of  the 
Lamb,  and  the  word  of  their  testimony.''     They  be- 
lieved and  they  taught  in  opposition  to  the  popular 
doctrine  of  good  w^orks  and  penances,  that  the  righ- 
teousness which  the  law  of  God  requires  of  a  sinner, 
is  provided  by  Ti  Surety;  that  the  blood  of  Christ 
alone  cleanses  believers  from  the  guilt  of  sin,  and 
thus  justifies  them  in  the  sight  of  God.     No  man 
ever   used    stronger   language   than   Luther  in    de- 
nouncing the  supposed  efficacy  of  works,  or  in  as- 
serting the  sovereignty  of  free  grace,  in  the  justifica- 
tion of  a  sinner.     Indeed  it  was  the  deep  impression 
which  the  doctrine   of  justification  made  upon  the 
hearts  of  men,  and  the  firm  hold  which  faith  took  of 
it,  that  enabled  and  constrained  them  to  forsake  the 
Romish  church  and  to  seek  and  erect  a  separate  fel- 
lowship.    This  was  with  them  "the  word  of  Christ's 
patience."     Other  doctrines  of  grace  were,  of  course, 
connected  w^ith  this  of  justification  in  the  apprehen- 
sion of  the  Reformers,  but  it  was  the  central  one. 
And  thus  we  may  learn,  that  any  doctrine  of  the 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  167 

Bible,  when  generally  opposed,  may  lawfully  become 
a  point  of  testimony;  and  when  openly  opposed 
and  practically  denied,  it  may  become  a  warran- 
table and  imperative  ground  of  separation.  In  all 
such  cases, — and  history  supplies  multitudes  of 
them, — the  declining  majority  are  truly  the  schisma- 
tics and  separatists.  The  malicious,  the  indolent  and 
credulous,  however,  in  all  ages  have  joined  in  the 
cry  of  schism  as  attaching  to  the  virtuous  minority. 

Many  of  the  combatants  fell  in  the  conflict,  '"re- 
sisting unto  blood,  striving  against  sin.''  "  They 
loved  not  their  lives  unto  the  death.''  They  could 
give  no  stronger  evidence  of  love  to  Christ  and  truth. 
Their  faithful  contendings  constituted  their  testimony. 
This  testim-ony  is  called  in  the  17th  verse,  "the  tes- 
timony of  Jesus  Christ.''  Does  this  mean  that  it 
belongs  to  Christ?  or  that  it  treats  of  him?  The 
language  may  probably  be  taken  in  either  sense,  or 
as  embracing  both.  It  is  Christ's  testimony,  as  he 
is  "  the  faithful  and  true  Witness,  who  before  Pontius 
Pilate  witnessed  a  good  confession;"  or  it  may  be 
understood  as  bearing  upon  Christ  in  his  person,  of- 
fices and -work.  In  either  sense  his  faithful  disciples 
enjoy  intimate  communion  with  himself,  sharing  the 
honour  of  his  victories,  (v.  5.)  Therefore  let  the 
heavens  rejoice  in  prospect  of  final  victory,  (ch. 
xviii.  20.) 

12.  Therefore  rejoice,  ye  lieavens,  and  ye  that  dwell  in 
them.  Woe  to  the  inhabiters  of  the  earth,  and  of  the  sea!  for 
the  devil  is  come  down  unto  you,  having  great  wrath,  because 
he  knoweth  that  he  hath  but  a  short  time. 

13.  x\nd  when  the  dragon  saw  that  he  was  cast  into  the 
earth,  he  persecuted  the  woman,  which  brought  forth  the 
mauchild. 

Vs.  12,  13. — Here  is  a  note  of  warning.  The 
dragon,  though  ejected  from  the  symbolic  heaven, 
the  seat  of  imperial  and  ecclesiastic  power,  is  not 


168  NOTES    ON 

yet  bound  with  the  great  chain,  (ch.  xx.  1,  2.)  His 
late  defeat  has  only  incensed  his  rage,  ''as  a  Lear 
robbed  of  her  whelps."  But  the  special  reason  as- 
signed for  his  ''great  wrath  "  is,  "because  he  knoweth 
that  he  hath  but  a  short  time."  How  does  the  devil 
come  to  this  knowledge?  Is  he  omniscient!  No. 
Was  he  joint-counsellor  with  the  Most  High?  No. 
(Isa.  xl.  13,  14;  Rom.  xi.  34.)  He  must  have  de- 
rived this  knowledge  from  revelation;  and  from  some 
instances  in  Scripture,  we  might  infer  that  the  devil 
is  more  skilled  in  theology,  especialy  in  prophecy, 
than  many,  if  not  most  modern  interpreters.  In  the 
time  of  our  Lord's  humiliation  he  quoted  and  applied 
to  him  a  prophecy  in  the  91st  psalm,  (v.  11, 12.)  He 
also  dreaded  being  tormented, — "  before*  the  time.'' 
(Matt.  viii.  29:)  from  which  it  appears  that  he  rea- 
sons of  the  "times  and  the  seasons''  as  revealed  in 
the  Bible.  But  by  the  phrase,  "a  short  time,''  the 
devil  understood, — and  we  are  to  understand,— not 
the  time  to  transpire  till  the  end  of  the  world;  but, 
the  time  intervening  between  his  ejectment  out  of 
heaven,  and  the  overthrow  of  Antichrist,  when  he 
is  to  be  bound.  Now,  we  may  learn  from  the  devil's 
calculation,  that  all  those  learned  and  famous  di- 
vines, especially  of  the  prelatic  church  of  England, 
"do  greatly  err,  not  knowing  the  Scriptures;"  who 
say,  that  the  dragon  was  cast  out  of  the  symbolic 
heaven  in  the  time  of  Constantine !  The  space  of 
duration /row  Constantine  till  the  millennium,  cannot 
be  relatively  "short,"  under  the  New  Testament  dis- 
pensation. The  time  of  the  dragon's  being  cast  out 
of  heaven,  and  the  instruments  by  which  this  was 
accomplished,  are  to  be  found  clearly  verified  in  the 
authentic  histories  of  the  sixteenth  century,  to  which 
some  references  have  been  already  made,  as  eluci- 
dating the  events  of  the  11th  chapter:  for  it  is  to  be 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  169 

still  remembered  that  the  former  part  of  the  11th  chap- 
ter agrees  in  time  with  the  12th,  13th  and  14th  chap- 
ters. At  the  end  of  the  second  woe,  which  we  supposed 
to  be  in  the  latter  part  of  the  seventeenth  century, 
about  the  year  1672,  it  is  declared  "the  third  woe 
Cometh  quickly,''  (ch.  xi.  14.)  Nowhere  it  is  said 
"  the  devil, — hath  but  a  short  time."  Taking  both 
expressions  as  relating  to  the  same  period,  it  follows 
that  we  are  now  living, — not  in  the  time  of  the  third 
woe,  but  in  the  time  of  the  devil's  activity  among  the 
"inhabiters  of  the  earth  and  of  the  sea;"  that  is, 
the  population  of  Christendom  either  in  a  tranquil 
or  revolutionary  state.  The  enemy  makes  his  second 
attack  upon  the  "woman''  in  a  new  and  unexpected 
mode  of  warfare.  So  long  as  permitted,  he  never 
ceases  to  persecute  the  saints.  When  defeated  in 
heaven.,  he  renews  the  assault  upon  the  earth.  If  the 
edicts  and  bulls  of  crowned  and  mitred  heads  have 
lost  their  power  to  terrify  and  destroy  the  souls  of 
men,  he  will  try  to  effect  the  same  object  by  other 
means. 

14.  And  to  the  woman  were  given  two  wings  of  a  great 
eagle,  that  she  might  fly  into  the  wilderness,  into  her  place; 
where  she  is  nourished  for  a  time,  and  times,  and  half  a  time, 
from  the  face  of  the  serpent. 

15.  And  the  serpent  cast  out  of  his  mouth,  water  as  a  flood, 
after  the  woman,  that  he  might  cause  her  to  he  carried  away 
of  the  flood. 

IG.  And  the  earth  helped  the  woman,  and  the  earth  opened 
her  mouth,  and  swallowed  up  the  flood  which  the  dragon 
cast  out  of  his  mouth. 

Vs.  14-16. — To  guard  against  the  second  attack 
of  the  dragon,  the  woman  flees  a  second  time  to  the 
place  of  safety,  which  had  been  mercifully  prepared 
for  her  preservation  before  the  war  began,  (v.  6.) 
And  she  is  in  no  less  peril  from  her  deadly  enemy 
than  before. 


170  NOTES    ON 

The  "two  wings  of  a  great  eagle"  have  furnished 
occasion  to  many  fertile  minds  for  indulging  in  fan- 
ciful conjectures.  To  such  persons  nothing  occurs 
answerable  to  the  symbol  but  some  emblem  of  impe- 
rial power  or  national  sovereignty.  And  because 
the  eagle  was  the  visible  symbol  on  the  military  ban- 
ner of  Rome,  it  is  conjectured  that  "the  eastern  and 
western  empires  afforded  protection  to  the  church!'' 
Why,  the  empire,  in  both  its  wings,  was  the  deadly 
enemy  of  the  church,  as  we  have  already  seen !  (ch. 
xi.  7.)  Alas!  what  absurdities  result  from  political 
bias!  The  unlettered  Christian  will  readily  perceive 
under  the  emblem  in  the  text,  a  plain  allusion  to  the 
gracious  interposition  of  the  church's  Redeemer  in 
the  days  of  old.  "  Ye  have  seen  what  I  did  unto  the 
Egyptians,  and  how  I  bare  you  on  eo.gles'  wings, 
and  brought  you  unto  myself."  (Exod.  xix.  4.)  Thus 
the  Lord  delivered  his  people  and  brought  them  into 
a  literal  wilderness  on  their  way  to  the  promised 
land  of  liberty.  And  now  in  a  time  of  equal  danger, 
he  will  "set  his  hand  again  the  second  time''  to  de- 
liver his  people.  He  who  delivered  them  from  so 
great  a  death  as  Pharoah  threatened,  doth  still  de- 
liver ;  in  whom  his  saints  have  ground  to  trust  that 
he  will  still  deliver  them.  (2  Cor.  i.  10.)  The  great 
and  beneficial  change  accomplished  among  the  na- 
tions by  the  reformation  in  the  sixteenth  and  seven- 
teenth centuries,  whereby  the  dragon  was  hurled 
from  seats  of  ecclesiastical  and  civil  power,  did  not 
materially  change  the  position  of  the  "two  wit- 
nesses." The  time  had  not  yet  come  when  they 
were  to  be  called  up  into  the  symbolic  heaven.  They 
must  continue  to  prophesy  till  the  close  of  the  ap- 
pointed period  of  1*^60  years.  Till  the  expiration  of 
that  definite  period  the  true  church  of  Christ  is  not 
to  be  permanently  established  in   any  nation  of  the 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  171 

earth.  The  actual  condition  of  the  church  and  of 
the  nations  among  whom  she  dwells,  is  delineated  in 
these  verses  during  the  time  subsequent  to  the  Pro- 
testant Reformation, — consequently  in  our  own  time. 
The  "time,  times  and  half  a  time"  of  the  14th  verse, 
are  an  obvious  reference  to  Daniel  vii.  25;  xii.  7; 
and  are  the  same  period  as  42  months,  or  1260  days, 
"a  day  for  a  year.''  During  this  whole  time  the 
woman  is  nourished  in  the  wilderness  "from  the  face 
of  the  serpent.''  Safety  is  secured  for  her  only  "in 
her  place." 

"Water,''  as  a  symbol  or  metaphor,  is  of  frequent 
occurrence  and  varied  import  in  Scripture.  Among 
its  diversified  significations,  perhaps  that  of  a  destruc- 
tive element  is  most  common.  (Ps.  xviii.  4;  xxxii. 
6.)  It  is  indeed  often  used  to  denote  gospel  bless- 
ings, (as  Is.  Iv.  1;  John  vii.  38;  Rev.  xxii.  17.)  As 
here  used,  the  "water  as  a  flood,''  represents  some- 
thing intended  by  the  dragon  for  the  destruction  of 
the  woman.  If  he  cannot  destroy  her  by  fire,  he 
aims  to  overwhelm  her  with  water.  This  water  comes 
out  of  the  dragon's  "mouth.''  So  of  the  "unclean 
spirits,''  (ch.  xvi.  13.)  Soul-destroying  errors, — he- 
resies,— are  undoubtedly  intended.  If  he  cannot  de- 
vour as  a  roaring  lion,  he  will  endeavour  to  deceive 
and  seduce  as  a  cunning  serpent.  We  are  therefore 
instructed  hereby  to  look  for  "damnable  heresies'' 
to  prevail,  accompanied  and  followed  by  popular  com- 
motions and  licentiousness.  The  age  in  which  we 
live  is  remarkably  characterized  by  false  systems  and 
impious  theories.  Speculative  atheism  caused  the 
French  revolution,  and  led  to  the  erection  of  the  Uni- 
ted States  government;  which,  having  openly  de- 
clared independence  of  England,  soon  after  virtually 
declared  independence  of  God.  France,  Germany, 
England  and  the  United  States,  have  all  been  per- 


172  .      NOTES   ON 

vaded  with  infidel  and  atheistical  sentiments;  and 
these,  whether  propagated  under  the  name  of  solid 
science  or  polite  literature,  have  corrupted  the  public 
raind  for  generations.  In  the  name  of  science,  treat- 
ing of  the  material  or  moral  world,  the  agents  of  the 
dragon  have  been  exceedingly  successful.  Meta- 
physcians  and  geologists  have  constructed  systems 
which  would  exclude  the  Almighty  from  the  heavens 
and  the  earth.  But  however  active  and  zealous  these 
laborers  in  the  service  of  the  dragon,  they  do  not 
reach  the  popular  ear  but  in  part.  Those  sons  of 
Belial  who  devise  false  systems  of  religion  under  the 
name  of  Christianity,  have  been  still  more  pernicious 
to  the  nations,  and  dangerous  to  the  church.  If  the 
church  of  Rome  cannot  prevail  w-ith  kings  as  before, 
to  execute  her  cruel  sentences  of  death  upon  heretics, 
she  is  not  less  active  in  disseminating  her  idolatrous 
and  superstitious  dogmas  among  the  nations.  By 
freemasonry,  oddfellowship,  temperance  associations, 
and  a  countless  number  of  affiliated  societies, — the 
offshoots  of  popery  and  infidelity,  the  dragon  still  as- 
sails the  woman.  Reason,  toleration,  humanity,  cha- 
rity and  liberality  are  terms  which  have  been  selected 
and  abused  by  the  servants  of  the  devil  "to  deceive 
the  hearts  of  the  simple.''  These  are  alike  the  watch- 
words of  the  spiritual  seducer  and  the  political  agi- 
tator. What  dogma  or  heresy  so  absurd, — wdiat 
conduct  so  immoral,  as  not  to  find  patronage  in  the 
journals  of  the  day?  or  not  to  find  tolerance  or  pro- 
tection under  the  fostering  wings  of  church  or  state? 
What  is  impiously  called  "free  love,''  as  well  as 
avowed  infidelity  and  polygamy,  are  patronized  by 
constituted  authorities  in  Christendom.  When  taking 
a  survey  of  the  errors  and  systems  of  error,  hostile 
to  the  honor  of  Messiah  and  the  free  grace  of  his 
gospel,  how  few  can  be  found  in  the  different  nations 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  173 

of  the  earth,  who  '*  overcame  by  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb !''  The  reh'gions  established  by  tlie  nations  of 
the  world  are  all  more  or  less  tainted  with  the  errors, 
and  disfigured  by  the  ceremonies  of  the  church  of 
Rome.  Surely  we  have  before  our  eyes  a  constant 
fulfilment  of  the  prophecy  under  consideration.  To 
all  outward  appearance  the  woman  is  in  the  wilder- 
ness. She  is  in  fact  so  obscure  that  some  of  her  sons 
begin  to  question  her  visibility.  They  are  ready  to 
cry  in  despondency, — "The  witnesses  are  slain.'' — 
They  are  mistaken.  This  is  their  infirmity.  The 
1260  years  are  not  yet  expired,  nor  the  testimony 
finished.  "  When  the  enemy  shall  come  in  like  a 
floods  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  shall  lift  up  a  standard 
against  him."  (Isa.  lix.  19.)  The  mystic  woman  is 
yet  in  the  wilderness,  and  there  she  is  nourished  with 
the  hidden  manna  "a  time,  times  and  half  a  time," 
"forty  and  two  months,  or  twelve  hundred  and  sixty 
days," — that  is,  years;  for,  as  formerly  noticed,  all 
these  expressions  mean  the  same  period  of  time;  the 
period  during  which  the  witnesses  prophesy,  on  the 
one  side,  and  the  gentiles  tread  the  outer  court,  on 
the  other.  The  profanation  of  the  holy  city, — the 
church  nominal,  and  the  testimony  of  the  witnesses 
against  that  conduct,  is  the  same  contest  which  in 
this  chapter  is  represented  under  other  symbols. 
The  waters  of  the  symbolic  flood  have  spread  over 
all  the  nations  of  Christendom,  corrupting  the  very 
fountains  of  natural  and  moral  science,  literature, 
politics  and  religion;  so  that  hardly  any  principle  is 
accepted  by  the  human  mind  as  settled,  but  all  is 
thrown  into  debate.  Man's  intellect,  craving  sub- 
stantial nourishment,  and  thirsting  for  refreshment 
which  nothing  but  the  water  of  life  can  supply,  vi- 
brates between  ritualism  and  skepticism  in  our  day. 
The  flood  from  the  dragon's  mouth,  consisting  of 
12 


174  NOTES    ON 

truth  and  error,  a  combination  of  Christianity,  re- 
fined idolatry  and  speculative  atheism,  fails  to  satis- 
fy the  necessary  cravings  of  the  immortal  soul. 
*' There  be  many  that  say,  Who  will  show  us  any 
good?''  (Ps.  iv.  6.) 

In  this  state  of  the  popular  mind,  there  is  a  gene- 
ral sentiment  which  discountenances  penalties  in- 
flicted for  mere  opinion.  The  cry  of  toleration, — 
**  freedom  of  speech  and  of  the  press,"  resounds  in 
the  public  ear  among  most  communities  since  the 
dragon  was  cast  down  from  the  mystic  heaven.  This 
popular  sentiment  is  not  an  expression  of  the  law  of 
charity,  actuating  hearts  influenced  by  divine  grace; 
but  rather  originates  from  indifference  alike  to  the 
claims  of  Messiah  and  the  destinies  of  mankind. 
Thus  "the  earth  helps  the  woman.''  Indeed,  the  na- 
tions of  Christendom,  contrary  to  their  former  policy, 
are  now  much  more  tolerant  of  ecclesiastical  than  of 
political  heresies.  With  few  exceptions,  the  policy 
of  the  nations  at  the  present  time  is  to  discriminate, 
not  among  churclies,  but  among  religio7is.  The  po- 
pular voice  is  obviously  in  favor  of  dissevering  that 
alliance  between  church  and  state,  from  which  man- 
kind have  suffered  in  past  generations.  While  every 
earthly  potentate,  usurping  the  place  and  preroga- 
tives of  the  Mediator,  assumed  to  dictate  the  faith 
and  worship  of  his  subjects,  all  dissenters  and  recu- 
sants must  necessarily  be  subjected  to  penalties. 
Such  was  the  policy  of  the  dragon  for  centuries, 
while  in  the  heavens  of  ecclesiastical  and  civil  power. 
The  nominal  church  established  by  the  state,  defined 
hereby ;  and  the  heresy  found  by  the  church  became 
rebellion  against  the  civil  authority.  Of  course  the 
saints  were  then  executed  as  traitors.  Even  a  su- 
perficial view  of  the  signs  of  the  times  will  result  in 
the  conviction,  that  a  great  change*  has  taken  place 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  175 

in  the  policy  of  nations  and  churches.  The  dragon 
has  now  prevailed  with  most  politicians  and  states- 
men, as  well  as  with  most  professing  Christians,  to 
demand  a  total  '' separation  of  church  and  state;'' 
by  which  demand  they  do  not  mean  a  divorce  of  the 
unscriptural  and  antic hristi an  alliance  only  or  chiefly, 
but  a  simple  and  absolute  rejection  of  religion,  and 
especially  the  Christian  religion,  from  any  connexion 
with  or  influence  upon  civil  affairs.  This  is  unde- 
niably the  avowed  aim  and  declared  desire  of  the 
great  body  of  the  population  of  Christendom  at  the 
present  time,  (1870.)  And  w^hat  is  this  but  an  open 
denial  of  the  authority  of  the  Mediator  as  he  is  the 
"Prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth?"  Thus  has  the 
dragon,  since  his  ejection  from  heaven  become  a  ter- 
rible "woe  to  the  inhabiters  of  the  earth  and  of  the 
sea!''  And  thus  has  the  "earth  opened  her  mouth 
and  swallowed  up  the  flood;''  so  that  the  woman  re- 
mains comparatively  safe  "from  the  face  of  the  ser- 
pent" in  the  very  obscurity  of  her  position.  Some 
of  her  sons,  from  time  to  time,  venturing  abroad 
from  their  secluded  place  in  the  wilderness,  becoming 
weary  of  sackcloth  and  aspiring  to  worldly  distinc- 
tion, have  been  borne  along  by  the  waters  of  the 
flood,  and  drowned  in  the  general  deluge.  Against 
the  force  of  this  strong  current  of  popular  errors, 
nothing  will  avail  the  seed  of  the  woman  but  the 
"living  water''  which  Jesus  imparted  to  the  woman 
of  Samaria.  To  him  who  partakes  of  this  water, 
those  of  the  dragon  will  be  distasteful;  for  "it  shall 
be  in  him  a  well  of  water  springing  up  into  everlast- 
ing life."  (John  iv.  14.)  Since  the  middle  of  the 
seventeenth  century,  when  by  the  reformation  in 
Europe  and  the  British  Isles,  the  dragon  was  cast 
down  from  the  symbolic  heaven,  he  has  been  assail- 
ing in  "great  wrath"  all  ranks  and  degrees  of  men, 


176  NOTES   ON 

not,  as  before,  with  fire  and  sword,  with  scaffolds, 
gibbets,  thumb-screws, — torturing  and  destroying 
their  mortal  bodies,  that  he  might  reach  their  immor- 
tal souls:  but  by  bringing  them  together  in  voluntary 
associations  on  principles  of  the  covenant  of  works, 
subversive  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  consequently 
aiming  at  the  drowning  of  the  mystic  woman.  This 
the  enemy  of  all  righteousness  has  been  attempting, 
and  with  too  much  success,  by  public  and  professed 
ecclesiastical  and  Christian  associations;  such  as 
Jesuits,  Socinians  and  other  self-styled  Unitarians, 
Latter-day  Saints,  Mormons, — or  by  combinations 
in  secret  and  sworn  confederacies;  such  as  Odd  Fel- 
lows, Freemasons,  Sons  and  Daughters  of  Tempe- 
rance, with  other  affiliated  fellowships  innumerable. 
The  special  subtlety  of  the  serpent  consists  in  blend- 
ing these  two  kinds  of  communions,  so  that  under 
the  name  of  reform,  moral  and  spiritual,  those  who 
fear  God  may  be  unconsciously  drawn  into  the  snare. 
And  alas  !  how  many  simple  ones  have  been  thuS 
carried  away  by  the  waters  of  the  flood !  And  many 
strong  men  have  been  thus  cast  down  from  their  ex- 
cellency. We  are  not  to  be  surprised  if  we  find  the 
witnesses  few  in  our  time, — the  seed  of  the  woman 
diminished  when  the  dragon  makes  his  final  attack. 

17.  And  the  dragon  was  wroth  with  the  woman,  and  went 
to  make  war  with  the  remnant  of  her  seed,  which  keep  the 
commandments  of  God,  and  have  the  testimony  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

V.  17. — In  this  verse  we  have  the  last  effort  of 
the  enemy,  to  destroy  the  woman's  offspring.  It  is 
the  thh'd  attempt,  and,  as  we  suppose,  is  yet  future. 
We  cannot  therefore,  of  course,  be  so  exact  or  cer- 
tain as  to  the  nature  of  this  contest.  Some  things, 
however,  are  plain  enough.  The  dragon,  disappoint- 
ed in  his  efforts  hitherto  against  the  woman,  so  far 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  177 

from  ceasing  the  warfare,  is  only  thereby  the  more 
exasperated.  "The  dragon  was  wroth  with  the  wo- 
man." Malice  overcomes  reason.  He  knows  that 
he  cannot  finally  prevail, — that  "no  weapon  formed 
against  her  shall  prosper;"  yet  he  continues  to  vent 
his  rage.  The  mode  of  attack  is  to  be  different  from 
what  it  was  in  the  second  struggle.  He  is  said  to 
"make  war,'' — to  resort  to  open  violence,  to  employ 
the  agency  of  the  civil  power,  the  beast  of  the  bot- 
tomless pit,  (ch.  xi.  7 ;)  for  this  third  and  last  war, 
waged  by  the  dragon  agrees  in  time  with  the  slaying 
of  the  witnesses.  This  third  onset  agrees  also  with 
the  "third  woe-trumpet,''  the  "vintage"  and  the  last 
"vial;''  and  immediately  precedes  the  introduction 
of  the  millennium.  "The  remnant  of  the  woman's 
seed"  are  so  called  with  reference  to  those  of  her 
offspring  who  had  suffered  death  under  pagan  and 
papal  Rome,  (ch.  vi.  9.)  Perhaps  also  we  may  sup- 
pose the  number  to  be  comparatively  few  at  the  time 
of  the  last  war  with  the  dragon;  as  during  the  whole 
period  of  the  1260  years,  it  was  the  aim  of  the  dra- 
gon, through  his  instruments,  to  wear  out  the  saints 
of  the  Most  High.  (Dan.  vii.  25.)  The  character 
which  the  Holy  Spirit  gives  of  these  sufferers  proves 
them  to  be  the  woman's  seed.  They  "keep  the  com- 
mandments of  God,  and  have  the  testimony  of  Jesus 
Christ."  This  is  the  special  ground  of  the  devil's 
hostility  towards  them.  A  more  comprehensive  and 
definite  description  of  true  believers  is  not  to  be  found 
in  the  whole  Bible.  In  matters  of  religion  they  ad- 
here strictly  to  the  commandments  of  God.  They 
will  not  introduce,  nor  permit  to  be  introduced,  any 
corruptions  into  the  doctrines  of  grace  or  into  the 
matter  of  God's  worship.  The  temple,  altar  and 
worshippers  must  stand  the  measurement  of  God's 
word  in  their  fellowship.     No  human  traditions  or 


178  NOTES   ON 

innovations  are  to  be  tolerated.  But  besides  their 
conscientious  care  to  have  all  the  laws  of  the  house 
of  God  duly  observed,  these  remaining  witnesses  sus- 
tain and  propagate  the  testimony  of  their  predeces- 
sors, with  such  additional  facts  as  they  may  have 
collected  in  their  own  time,  for  the  personal  glory, 
the  offices  and  work  of  Jesus  Christ.  This  testimony 
will  necessarily  bring  them  into  collision  with  the 
children  of  those  who  killed  their  fathers  in  the  same 
quarrel.  Like  their  fathers,  *'they  have  the  sentence 
of  death  in  themselves,  that  they  should  not  trust  in 
themselves,  but  in  God  which  raiseth  the  dead, — not 
accepting  deliverance,  that  they  might  obtain  a  bet- 
ter resurrection.''  (2  Cor.  i.  9;  Heb.  xi.  35.)  For 
as  already  hinted,  this  remnant  is  to  "overcome  by 
the  blood  of  the  Lamb  and  by  the  word  of  their  tes- 
timony," as  others  did;  and  in  death  to  gain  the  final 
victory  over  death  by  vital  union  to  their  living  Lord, 
"•'being  made  conformable  to  his  death."  (Heb.  ii. 
14,  16.) 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

1.  And  I  stood  upon  the  sand  of  the  sea,  and  saw  a  beast 
rise  up  out  of  the  sea,  having  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  and 
upon  his  horns  ten  crowns,  and  upon  his  heads  the  name  of 
blasphemy. 

2.  And  the  beast  which  I  saw  was  like  unto  a  leopard,  and 
his  feet  were  as  the  feet  of  a  bear,  and  his  mouth  as  the  mouth 
of  a  lion;  and  the  dragon  gave  him  his  power,  and  his  seat, 
and  great  authority. 

3.  And  I  saw  one  of  his  heads  as  it  were  wounded  to  death; 
and  his  deadly  wound  was  healed:  and  all  the  world  wondered 
after  the  beast. 

4.  And  they  worshipped  the  dragon  which  gave  power 
unto  the  beast:  and  they  worshipped  the  beast,  saying.  Who 
is  like  unto  the  beast  ?    Who  is  able  to  make  war  with  him  ? 


TUE    APOCALYPSE.  179 

5.  And  there  was  given  unto  liim  a  mouth  speaking  great 
things,  and  blasphemies;  and  power  was  given  unto  him  to 
continue  forty  and  two  months. 

6.  And  he  opened  his  mouth  in  blasphemy  against  God,  to 
blaspheme  his  name,  and  his  tabernacle,  and  them  that  dwell 
in  heaven. 

7.  And  it  was  given  unto  him  to  make  war  with  the  saints, 
and  to  overcome  them:  and  power  was  given  him  over  all 
kindreds,  and  tongues,  and  nations. 

8.  And  all  that  dwell  upon  the  earth  shall  worship  him, 
whose  names  are  not  written  in  the  book  of  life  of  the  Lamb 
slain  from  the  foundation  of  the  world. 

9.  If  any  man  have  an  ear,  let  him  hear. 

10.  He  that  leadeth  into  captivity,  shall  go  into  captivity; 
he  that  killeth  with  the  sword,  must  be  killed  with  the  sword. 
Here  is  the  patience  and  the  faith  of  the  saints. 

Vs.  1-10. — This  chapter  may  be  considered  as  an 
explication  or  commentary  upon  the  seventh  chapter 
of  Daniel *s  prophecy,  and  a  farther  elucidation  of 
what  is  revealed  under  different  symbols  in  the  two 
preceding  chapters;  and  no  one  can  have  an  intelli- 
gent understanding  of  its  contents  without  a  compe- 
tent knowledge  of  the  symbols  employed  in  those 
chapters.     Here  the  Holy  Spirit  has  given  a  most 
graphic,  intelligible  and  comprehensive  exhibition  of 
the  complex   power  which  the   dragon  employs,  to 
persecute  and  slay  the  witnessing  servants  of  Christ. 
Hitherto  the  devil   has  conducted  the  war  against 
the  saints  through  the  agency  of  the  beast  of  the 
pit,  (ch.  xi.  7,)  and  those  allies  called  "his  angels:'' 
(ch.  xii.  7 :)  but  there  has  been  a  vail  of  obscurity 
hanging  over  these  agencies.     Who  the  beast  and 
other  allies  of  the  dragon  are,  it  is  the  very  design 
of  this  chapter  to  disclose,  with  greater  precision 
and  clearness  than  heretofore.     In  a  word,  we  have 
here  the  full  portrait  of  The  Great  AxTicnRiST. 
The  distinct  features  and  component  parts  of  this 
complex  and    diabolical   system  of   hostility  to  the 
Lord  and  his  Anointed,  are  presented  in  detail  for 


180  NOTES   ON 

our  inspection.  And  it  is  a  fact,  that  by  a  compe- 
tent knowledge  of  this  hostile  combination,  the  suf- 
fering saints  of  God  have  been  hitherto  enabled  to 
direct  their  testimony  with  intelligence  and  efficacy 
against  their  appropriate  objects.  And  although 
the  developments  of  providence  in  past  centuries, 
and  those  transpiring  in  our  own  generation,  are  cal- 
culated to  shed  light  upon  this  and  collateral  pro- 
phecies; yet  the  gross  conceptions  of  the  illiterate  in 
the  contemplation  of  prophetic  symbols  on  the  one 
hand,  and  the  reckless  disregard  of  scripture  rules 
and  usage  by  the  learned  on  the  other,  have  greatly 
contributed  to  the  present  lamentable  ignorance  and 
culpable  indifference  of  most  Christians.  For  people 
cannot  feel  an  interest  in  that  of  which  they  are  ig- 
norant. But  to  be  "willingly  ignorant''  of  that 
-which  may  and  ought  to  be  known,  is  one  of  the 
characteristic  sins  of  a  generation  of  impenitent  and 
profane  "scoffers.''  (2  Pet.  iii.  3,  5.)  On  the  other 
hand,  all  who  humbly  and  earnestly  desire  to  know 
the  mind  of  God  for  their  direction  in  faith  and  holi- 
ness, shall  assuredly  obtain  the  necessary  instruc- 
tion. (Dan.  vii.  16;  viii.  15;  John  xvi.  13;  1  Cor. 
xiv.  38.) 

In  these  first  ten  verses  are  contained  the  charac- 
teristics of  that  beast  whose  origin  is  given,  ch.  xi.  7. 
There  we  had  no  particular  description  of  this  per- 
sonage; only  he  was  the  agent  by  whom  the  wit- 
nesses were  opposed  in  open  warfare,  and  by  whom 
they  were  finally  killed.  Now  we  have  a  more  full 
account  of  his  origin,  character,  achievements  and 
duration.  This  personage  is  denominated  a  "beast." 
So  are  designated  other  characters,  who  are  very  dif- 
ferent from  this,  (ch.  iv.  6.)  In  that  place  we  inti- 
mated that  the  authorized  version  is  imperfect;  and 
that  either  "living  creatures''  or  simply  "animals," 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  181 

which  latter  we  prefer,  is  that  which  the  reader  is  to 
understand  from  the  original  word.  Not  only  are 
the  "four  animals"  different  in  origin,  nature  and 
agency  from  the  "beast;"  but  in  all  these  respects 
they  are  morally  opposite.  This  is  a  ravenous  beast ; 
a  beast  of  prey.  Elsewhere  the  word  is  translated 
a  "wild  beast,"  a  "venomous  beast,"  a  "viper." 
(Acts  X.  12 ;  xxviii.  4.)  This  beast  is  the  same  which 
appeared  in  vision  to  the  prophet  Daniel,  (ch.  vii.  3.) 
Of  the  four  great  beasts  which  that  prophet  saw, 
this  is  the  last.  All  the  preceding  are  described  by 
their  resemblance  to  some  known  animals,  but  each 
is  ferocious, — "a  lion,  bear,  leopard."  The  fourth 
is  a  nondescript;  there  is  no  species  in  the  animal 
kingdom  that  can  represent  it;  only  it  was  "diverse 
from  all  the  beasts  that  were  before  it,''  (v.  7.) 
These  four  beasts  represent  "four  kings,"  (v.  17,) 
that  is,  "kingdoms,"  (v.  23,)  or  dynasties.  Now  all 
interpreters  agree  that  these  four  dynasties  are  the 
same  as  those  symbolized  in  Nebuchadnezzar's  dream, 
(ch.  ii.  31-43.)  The  different  parts  of  the  "image" 
answer  to  the  four  beasts;  and  these  again  are  the 
symbols  of  the  Babylonian,  Medo- Persian,  Grecian 
and  Roman  empires.  Thus  far,  all  sober  expositors 
are  agreed.  Also,  there  is  a  like  agreement  that 
John's  ^rs^  beast  identifies  with  DameVs  fourth, — the 
Roman  empire.  This  is  obvious  from  the  general 
description  by  both  prophets, — "  having  seven  heads 
and  ten  horns.''  (Dan.  vii.  7;  Rev.  xiii.  1.) 

The  origin  of  this  beast  is  threefold, — "  out  of  the 
sea,''  (v.  1,)  "out  of  the  bottomless  pit,''  (ch.  xi.  7; 
xvii.  8,)  and  "out  of  the  earth.''  (Dan.  vii.  17.) 
Out  of  the  sea  of  the  commotions  arising  from  the 
incursions  of  the  northern  barbarians,  by  whom  the 
Roman  empire  was  dismembered.  "The  ten  horns 
out  of  this  kingdom  are  ten  kings  that  shall  arise." 


182  NOTES  ON 

(Dan.  vii.  24.)  This  is  the  result  of  revolution, — 
*'the  sea.''  The  Roman  empire,  especially  as  nomi- 
nally Christian,  is  thus  characterized  as  being  "earth- 
ly, sensual,  devilish,"  a  suitable  agent  of  the  dragon. 

The  fact  of  the  ten  horns  of  the  beast,  notv  ivear- 
ing  crowns,  proves  that  the  time  to  which  the  pro- 
phecy refers,  is  that  which  followed  the  division  of 
the  empire  into  ten  kingdoms.  The  seven  heads  of 
the  beast  have  a  double  significance, — seven  different 
forms  of  government,  and  seven  mountains,  after- 
wards to  be  more  fully  explained,  (ch.  xvii.  9,  10.) 
The  "name  of  blasphemy"  may  indicate  "eternal 
city,  mistress  of  the  world." — Of  this  characteristic 
of  the  beast,  other  examples  will  be  discovered  here- 
after. 

Daniel  was  solicitous  to  "know  the  truth  (inter- 
pretation) of  the  fourth  beast,  which  was  diverse 
from  all  the  others,"  (ch.  vii.  19.)  Although  "di- 
verse from  all  the  others"  in  geographical  extent  and 
destructive  power,  this  fourth  beast  combined  in  one 
all  the  ravenous  propensities  of  the  three  predeces- 
sors, but  in  reverse  order.  The  "leopard,  bear  and 
lion  of  Daniel,''  by  which  Grecian,  Persian  and  Chal- 
dean dynasties  were  symbolized,  are  all  comprised  in 
John's  beast  of  the  sea, — the  antichristian  Roman 
empire.  Since  this  beast  of  the  sea  embodies  all  the 
voracious  properties  of  the  three  persecuting  powers 
which  went  before  it;  this  may  be  a  suitable  place 
briefly  to  review  the  sufferings  inflicted  by  them  upon 
the  saints,  that  we  may  know  what  the  witnesses 
were  taught  to  expect  at  the  hands  of  this  monstrous 
enemy. — "Israel  is  a  scattered  sheep,  the  lions  have 
driven  him  away:  first,  the  king  of  Assyria  hath  de- 
voured him,  and  last,  this  Nebuchadnezzar  king  of 
Babylon  hath  broken  his  bones. — The  violence  done 
to   me  and  to  my  flesh,  be  upon  Babylon,  shall  the 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  183 

inhabitant  of  Zion  say;  and,  My  blood  upon  the  in- 
habitants of  Chahlea,  shall  Jerusalem  say."  (Jer.  1. 
17;  ]i.  35.) — "Haman,  the  son  Hammedatha,  the 
Agagite,  the  Jews'  enemy, — thought  scorn  to  lay 
hands  on  Mordecai  alone." — ''If  it  please  the  king, 
let  it  be  written  that  they  (the  whole  people)  may 
be  destroyed;  and  I  will  pay  ten  thousand  talents  of 
silver, — to  bring  it  into  the  king's  treasuries." — "Be- 
hold also  the  gallows,  fifty  cubits  high,  which  Haman 
had  made  for  Mordecai,  who  had  spoken  good  for  the 
king,  standeth  in  the  house  of  Haman.  Then  the 
king  said.  Hang  him  thereon."  (Esth.  iii.  1,  9;  vii. 
9.)  Such  were  the  crimes  and  such  the  punishments 
of  the  enemies  of  God's  people  in  Babylon  and  Persia, 
as  already  matter  of  inspired  history:  and  had  we 
equally  full  and  authentic  records  of  the  punishments 
as  we  have  of  the  cruelties  of  Antiochus  and  other 
successors  of  Alexander  the  Great,  the  king  of  Greece, 
we  would  see,  as  in  the  other  cases,  "the  just  reward 
of  the  wicked."  Of  all  these  idolatrous,  tyrannical 
and  persecuting  powers,  which  the  Divine  Spirit  rep- 
resented by  beasts  of  prey,  it  was  foretold  that  they 
were  to  be  removed  in  succession  and  with  violence. 
This  fourth  beast,  "dreadful  and  terrible  and  strong 
exceedingly,  was  to  devour  and  break  in  pieces,  and 
stamp  the  residue  with  the  feet  of  it."  (Dan.  vii.  7.) 
Moreover,  while  it  is  predicted  of  them  that  *'they 
had  their  dominion  taken  away,"  it  is  also  added, — 
"yet  their  lives  were  prolonged  for  a  season  and 
time,"  (v.  12.)  That  is,  though  their  distinct  and 
successive  dominions  were  severally  swept  from  the 
earth,  yet  their  lives^ — the  diabolical  principles  by 
which  they  had  been  actuated  survived;  and  these 
passed,  by  a  kind  of  transmigration,  into  the  body 
of  the  fourth  beast.  This  transition  of  animating 
principles  or  imperial  policy  of  inveterate  hostility  to 


184  NOTES    OX 

the  kingdom  of  God,  we  think,  is  plainly  indicated 
by  the  three  features  of  this  beast  of  the  sea,  the 
''leopard,  bear  and  lion.''  If  these  three  *'slew 
their  thousands,"  this  monster  has  "slain  his  ten 
thousands''  of  the  saints;  and  the  remnant  of  the 
woman's  seed  are  yet  to  be  ''slain  as  they  were," 
(ch.  vi.  11.) 

"The  dragon  gave  him  his  power," — physical 
force,  "  his  seat"  or  throne^ — his  right  to  reign,  "  and 
great  authority" — dominion — by  the  voice  of  the  peo- 
ple. Thus,  it  is  obvious  that  the  seven-headed,  ten- 
horned  beast  is  the  first,  and  the  oldest,  among  the 
combined  enemies  of  the  Christian  church;  all  of 
whose  origin  is  from  the  dragon,  the  abyss  or  bot- 
tomless pit.  The  writers  of  the  church  of  Rome, 
while  forced  to  acknowledge  that  this  beast  is  em- 
blematical of  the  Roman  empire,  still  insist  that 
pagan  Rome  is  intended.  It  is  sufficient  in  opposi- 
tion to  this  false  interpretation  to  observe,  that  the 
beast  appears  to  John  with  crowns,  not  upon  his  heads, 
but  upon  his  honis,  denoting  the  actual  division  of 
the  empire  into  ten  kingdoms:  an  event  which  did 
not  transpire  till  after  the  empire  had  become  nomi- 
nally Christian  under  the  reign  of  Constantino  the 
Great.  The  reign  of  this  emperor  and  his  successors, 
by  their  largesses  fostered  the  luxurious  propensities 
of  the  Christian  ministry,  and  so  contributed  to  pre- 
pare the  way  for  the  rise  of  the  next  enemy  in  this 
antichristian  confederacy  against  the  witnesses. — 
The  "head  wounded  unto  death  is  the  sixth.  John 
says  expressly,  elsewhere,  "five  are  fallen,  and  one 
is,  and  the  other  is  not  yet  come,"  (ch.  xvii.  10.) 
The  "five  fallen''  were,  kings,  consuls,  dictators,  de- 
cemvirs, and  military  tribunes.  All  these  forms  of 
civil  government  had  passed  before  the  time  of  the 
apostle.     The  one  existing  in  his  time,  was  the  sixth 


IHE   APOCALYPSE.  185 

head, — tlie  emperors;  by  one  of  whom  the  apostle 
was  now  subjected  to  banishment  in  the  desert  isle 
of  Patmos.  This  wound  is  supposed  by  some  to  be 
the  change  from  paganism  to  Christianity  in  the  em- 
pire. No;  this  view  is  many  ways  erroneous:  but  it 
is  enough  to  remark  that  the  Roman  empire,  according 
to  both  prophets,  Daniel  and  John,  is  to  continue 
bestial  under  all  changes,  during  the  whole  period  of 
1260  years.  The  deadly  wound  was  inflicted  by 
the  northern  invaders  who  overturned  the  empire, 
and,  for  the  time,  extinguished  the  very  name  of  em- 
peror in  the  person  of  Augustulus.  After  the  divi- 
sion of  the  western  member  of  the  empire  had  been 
subdivided  among  the  victorious  leaders  of  the  inva- 
ders from  the  north,  and  the  people  of  that  section 
supposed  the  beast  slain,  the  throne  of  Constantino- 
ple continued  to  be  occupied  by  the  representative 
of  the  empire.  In  the  popular  apprehension  the  im- 
perial head  of  the  beast  seemed  to  be  utterly  cut  off 
by  the  sword  of  Odoacer, — "wounded  by  a  sword:" 
but  the  several  kingdoms  into  which  the  empire  was 
divided,  in  process  of  time  became  united  in  the  bonds 
of  an  apostate  faith.  The  imperial  name  and  dignity 
were  revived  in  the  person  of  the  emperor  of  Germa- 
ny, Charlemagne,  in  800;  and  by  the  wars  among 
the  horns  of  the  beast,  the  title  of  emperor  has  been 
claimed  alternately  by  Germany,  Austria  and  France, 
down  to  our  own  time.  These  dissensions  and  rival- 
ries among  the  sovereigns  of  Europe, — the  mystic 
horns  of  the  beast,  were  foreshadowed  in  the  Baby- 
lonish monarch's  dream: — "the  kingdom  shall  be 
partly  strong  and  partly  broken, — they  shall  not 
cleave  one  to  another,  even  as  iron  is  not  mixed  with 
clay,''  (Dan.  ii.  42,  43.)  And  doubtless  these  inter- 
nal commotions  among  the  common  enemies  of  the 
saints  of  God,  have  tended,  in  divine  mercy,  to  divert 


186  NOTES    ON 

their  attention  occasionally  from  the  witnesses.  While 
they  have  been  made  the  instruments  of  mutual  pu- 
nishment, the  Lord's  people  have  been  "hid  in  the 
day  of  his  fierce  anger.''  (Zeph.  ii.  8.) 

At  what  time  the  sixth  head  of  the  beast  disap- 
peared and  the  seventh  became  developed,  is  not 
clearly  marked  in  the  Apocalypse,  and  it  is  of  com- 
paratively little  importance,  since  the  latter  is  to 
"continue  a  short  space,''  (ch.  xvii.  10.)  The  cen- 
tral fact  is  the  continuance  of  the  beast  a  definite 
time  under  all  the  heads, — 1260  years.  Under  all 
the  forms  of  government  through  which  the  empire 
passed,  it  continued  bestial  and  was  the  object  of 
popular  admiration.  "All  the  world  wondered  after 
the  beast."  The  populace  made  court  to,  fawned 
upon,  followed  in  the  train,  or  formed  the  retinue  of 
the  beast.  We  are  to  limit  the  phrase, — "all  the 
world,''  for  not  all  the  inhabitants  are  to  be  under- 
stood, but  such  only  as  professed  allegiance  to  the 
existing  imperial  dominion;  and  among  those  within 
the  beast's  territorial  jurisdiction,  the  witnesses  still 
stood  to  their  protest  against  his  impious  claims. — 
])ut  from  admiration  and  loyalty,  the  servile  multi- 
tude break  forth  into  adoration,  addressing  the  dra- 
gon and  the  beast  in  such  language  as  is  proper  to 
God  only.  (Ps.  Ixxxix.  6.)  The  shouts  of  the  rabble 
on  Herod's  birth-day  may  illustrate  the  conduct  of 
these  votaries  of  the  beast  and  dragon.  (Acts  xii. 
22.)  The  poor  ignorant  and  deluded  subject,  in  ren- 
dering homage  to  the  beast,  did  homage  to  the  devil, 
from  whom  the  power  was  derived.  Such  is  the  de- 
gradation to  which  man  is  reduced  by  blind  obedience 
to  despotic  power,  whether  civil  or  ecclesiastical. 
He  glories  in  the  chains  which  bind  him ! — And  this 
is  the  actual  and  voluntary  condition  of  the  great 
majority  of  the   population  of   Christendom  at  the 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  187 

present  hour.  There  has  been,  indeed,  within  the 
current  century,  an  effort  by  the  masses  of  the  peo- 
ple to  assert  their  natural  and  civil  rights,  to  re- 
gain the  exercise  of  the  elective  franchise;  but 
in  selecting  candidates  to  bear  rule  over  them, 
they  generally  prefer  such  as  are,  like  the  majo- 
rity of  themselves, — "  aliens  from  the  commonwealth 
of  Israel,  and  strangers  from  the  covenants  of 
promise."  Hence,  "vile  men  are  exalted,  the  wick- 
ed bear  rule,  and  the  people  mourn."  (Ps.  xii.  8; 
Prov.  xxix.  2.) — The  "blasphemies''  uttered  by  this 
boast  are  all  those  royal  'prerogatives  claimed  by 
the  several  crowned  horns  or  civil  sovereigns  who 
have  established  idolatry  and  superstition  within  their 
respective  dominions.  The  "blasphemous  head- 
ship" over  the  church  of  Christ,  as  viewed  and  de- 
signated by  his  persecuted  disciples  in  the  British 
empire,  may  tend  to  illustrate  this  part  of  the  beast's 
history.  King  Henry  VIII.  of  England,  upon  re- 
nouncing the  civil  and  ecclesiastical  headship  of  the 
Pope,  proceeded  to  usurp  an  ecclesiastical  headship 
within  his  own  dominions;  and  all  his  royal  succes- 
sors till  the  present  day  have  asserted  a  similar  do- 
minion over  the  faith  of  the  Lord's  people.  As  an 
"inherent  right  of  the  crown,"  the  sovereign  of  Bri- 
tain, male  or  female,  is  declared  to  be  "supreme 
judge  in  all  causes,  as  well  ecclesiastical  as  civil!'' 
The  rest  of  the  horns  are  no  less  blasphemous  in 
their  haughty  pretensions.  History  attests  that  the 
martyrs  of  Jesus  denounced  these  encroachments  on 
the  prerogatives  of  Christ,  and  the  intrinsic  power  of 
his  church,  as  "Erastian  supremacies, — blasphemous 
supremacies."  Most  expositors  tell  us  that  the  blas- 
phemies are  chargeable  to  the  Pope  or  to  the  Romish 
church.  But  this  interpretation  confounds  this  beast 
of  the  sea  with  the  apostate  church  of  Rome;  and 


188  NOTES   ON 

indeed  this  confounding  of  symbols  and  consequent 
mistaking  of  objects  in  actual  history,  are  the  prima- 
ry errors  of  expositors  in  nearly  all  their  attempts 
at  expounding  the  Apocalypse.  This  first  beast  of 
John,  and  fourth  of  Daniel,  however,  is  wholly  secular 
or  civil;  and  clearly  distinguished  by  both  inspired 
prophets,  from  the  other  agents  of  the  dragon,  as 
we  shall  find  in  the  subsequent  part  of  this  chapter. 
This  beast  "blasphemes  the  name  of  God"  by  com- 
pelling men  to  worship  idols  and  images,  enacting 
penal  statutes  and  issuing  bloody  edicts  to  force  their 
consciences.  He  *' blasphemes  his  tabernacle,*' 
when  stigmatizing  the  assemblies  of  God's  worship- 
ping people  as  ^'traitorous  conspiracies,  rendevouses 
of  rebellion,*' — *'and  them  that  dwell  in  heaven,''  he 
blasphemes  by  calling  them  "incendiaries,  fanatics, 
enthusiasts,  rebels  and  traitors;''  for  all  these  terms 
of  reproach  are  well  authenticated  in  history,  as 
heaped  upon  the  faithful  and  heroic  servants  of  Christ. 
Those  who  suppose  that  the  phrase  "them  that  dwell 
in  heaven,"  means  saints  departed  and  angels  as 
worshipped  by  papists  in  obedience  to  the  Romish 
church,  make  two  mistakes, — the  one,  that  ecclesias- 
tical power  is  here  intended,  whereas  we  have  already 
shown  that  the  power  is  civil;  the  other,  that  the 
word  "heaven''  is  to  be  taken  in  a  literal  sense,  con- 
trary to  the  symbolic  structure  of  the  whole  context. 
All  history,  so  far  as  authentic,  teaches  that  the  civil 
powers  throughout  Christendom,  attempt  to  coerce 
by  penal  inflictions  the  consciences  of  all  who  refuse 
obedience  to  their  commands,  no  less  than  the  church 
of  Rome.  Even  constitutional  guarantees  of  liberty 
of  conscience  have  never  secured  the  witnesses  from 
the  savage  rage  of  the  beast  or  any  of  his  infuriated 
horns.  Witness  the  history  of  the  bloody  house  of 
the  Stuarts  of  Britain.     In  vain  did  the  victims  of 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  189 

papal  and  prelatic  cruelty  plead,  in  their  just  defence 
in  the  seventeenth  century,  the  constitution  and  laws 
of  their  native  land !  Those  who  have  done  violence 
to  the  law  of  God,  will  always  disregard  human 
enactments  which  stand  in  the  way  of  their  ambitious 
schemes.  Their  own  laws  will  be  treated  as  ropes 
of  sand,  as  Samson's  withs,  and  the  blood  of  saints 
as  water.  Such  is  persecution. — The  seventh  verse, 
expressing  the  beast's  victory  over  the  saints  and 
the  extent  of  his  power,  is  explanatory  of  ch.  xi.  7, 
9;  and  the  time  of  his  continuance,  (v.  5,)  is  the 
same  as  the  treading  under  foot  of  the  city;  (ch.  xi. 
2:)  so  that  we  are  assured  of  the  agreement  in  time 
between  the  events  here  and  those  of  the  first  part 
of  the  eleventh  chapter.  Also,  the  parties  here  pre- 
sented are  the  same  as  in  the  two  preceding  chapters, 
only  they  are  exhibited  in  different  aspects  by  appro- 
priate symbols. — The  worshippers  of  the  beast  in- 
clude all  under  his  dominion  except  those  "whose 
names  were  written  in  the  book  of  life." — This  book 
is  different  both  from  the  sealed  book,  (ch.  5;)  and 
also  from  the  open  book,  (ch.  10.)  It  is  the  regis- 
ter, as  it  were,  of  the  names  of  all  whom  the  Father 
gave  to  the  Son,  to  be  by  him  brought  to  glory. 
(John  xvii.  2;  Hob.  ii.  10;  Rev.  xx.  12,  15.)  Du- 
ring the  whole  reign  of  the  beast,  these  are  preserved, 
having  been  "sealed  unto  the  day  of  redemption.'' 
In  the  seventh  chapter  we  had  the  angels  employed 
in  holding  the  four  winds  of  the  earth,  till  these  ser- 
vants of  God  were  sealed  in  their  foreheads,  before 
the  first  alarm  should  be  given  by  the  trumpets.  The 
book  of  life  contained  their  names  from  the  founda- 
tion,— before  the  foundation  of  the  world.  (Eph.  i. 
4.)  They  were  in  time  "sealed  with  that  Holy  JSpirit 
of  promise,"  so  that  it  was  impossible  to  deceive  them, 
either  by  lying  wonders  or  the  serpent's  sophistry. 


190  NOTES   ON 

(Eph.  i.  13;  Matt.  xxiv.  24.)~The  Lamb  may  be 
said  to  be  '* slain  from  tbe  foundation  of  the  world" 
in  the  purpose  of  God,  (2  Tim.  i.  9;)  in  sacrifice, 
(Gen.  iv.  4;)  in  the  ceremonial  law  and  prophecy. 
(Matt.  xi.  13;)  and  in  the  efficacy  of  his  satisfaction 
rendered  to  divine  justice,  for  which  the  Father  gave 
him  credit  from  the  fall  of  man.  (Rom.  iii.  25.) — 
So  many  erroneous  views  have  been  taken,  and  false 
interpretations  given  of  this  chapter  in  particular,  as 
of  the  Apocalypse  in  general,  that  the  Divine  Spirit 
calls  special  attention  here  to  the  rise,  reign  and 
ruin  of  the  beast  of  the  sea.  The  prophetic  descrip- 
tion of  this  beast  in  an  especial  manner  is  of  such 
importance  to  instruct,  and  thereby  sustain  and  com- 
fort, the  suffering  disciples  of  Christ,  that  he  causes 
his  servant  John  to  pause,  as  it  were,  and  allow  the 
reader  to  reflect.  Indeed,  wherever  a  note  of  atten- 
tion is  thus  given,  we  may  be  sure  that  something 
"hid  from  the  wise  and  prudent"  is  intended.  Ac- 
cordingly, it  were  endless  to  follow  the  vagaries  of 
even  learned  men  dealing  out  their  "private  inter- 
pretations" of  this  chapter.  Yet  tbe  understanding 
of  its  general  outlines  was  at  the  bottom  of  the  Re- 
formation by  Luther,  his  colleagues  and  successors. 
Elsewhere,  however,  we  may  take  occasion  to  notice 
how  vague,  and  inadequate,  and  bold,  were  some  of 
their  conceptions;  all  going  to  show  the  seasonable- 
ness  of  the  solemn  admonition, — "If  any  man  have 
an  ear,  let  him  hear.'' — The  beast  is  to  be  treated  as 
he  dealt  with  the  victims  of  his  cruelty.  He  is  justly 
doomed  to  captivity  and  death.  "The  beast  was 
taken  and — cast  alive  into  a  lake  of  fire  burning  with 
brimstone,"  (ch.  xix.  20.)  "Tophet  is  ordained  of 
old."  It  was  used  by  the  prophets  as  a  figure  of 
hell.  (Is.  XXX.  33.)  To  this  place,  whence  there  is  no 
redemption,  this  monstrous  beast  was  to  be  consigned, 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  191 

as  predicted  by  the  prophet  Daniel,  (vii.  11,) — *'  The 
beast  was  slain,  and  his  body  destroyed,  and  given 
to  the  burning  flame.'' — In  the  protracted  contest  of 
1260  years  with  this  imperial  power,  *' the  patience 
and  the  faith  of  the  saints''  were  exemplified.  Faith 
and  patience  would  be  more  severely  tried  in  this 
case  than  in  any  other;  as  the  period  of  persecution 
was  to  be  of  much  longer  continuance  than  any  that 
had  preceded  since  the  beginning  of  the  world.  (Heb. 
vi.  12.) 

11.  And  I  beheld  another  beast  coming  up  out  of  the  earth; 
and  he  had  two  horns  like  a  lamb,  and  he  spake  as  a  dragon. 

V.  11. — John  "beheld  another  beast," — therefore 
not  the  same,  as  many  expositors  strangely  suppose. 
No  one  can  have  an  intellio;ent  understanding^  of  this 
chapter  unless  he  views  the  beast  of  the  sea  and  the 
beast  of  the  earth  ?ls  perfectly  distinct.  As  the  for- 
mer arose  out  of  a  revolutionary  state  of  society,  and 
was  consequently  more  clearly  marked  in  history, 
so  the  latter  grew  "  up  out  of  the  earth  "  more  quietly 
and  gradually,  like  a  spear  of  grass, — we  "know  not 
how."  As  this  second  beast  of  the  Apocalypse  is  to 
act  a  prominent  part  in  the  scenery  afterwards  pre- 
sented in  vision  to  the  apostle,  and  a  correspondent 
part  in  actual  history,  and  as  it  is  called  by  different 
names  and  appears  under  different  aspects,  it  is  ne- 
cessary that  its  character  be  closely  inspected,  so 
that  its  identity  may  be  clearly  ascertained.  The  de- 
scription here  given  is  very  minute.  One  thing  is 
very  obvious, — that  this  beast  of  the  earth  is  the  con- 
federate, the  ally,  and  the  accomplice  of  the  beast  of 
the  sea.  They  act  in  concert.  They  had  been  thus 
represented  in  vision  to  Daniel.  In  the  seventh 
chapter  of  that  prophecy  we  have  the  beast  of  the 
sea,  as  here,  with  his  "  ten  horns,"  (v.  7.)  While  the 
prophet  narrowly  "considered  the  horns,  behold, there 


192  NOTES   ON 

came  up  among  them  another  little  horn,''  (v.  8.)  It 
has  been  already  shown  that  these  horns  represent 
the  kingdoms  into  which  the  Roman  empire  was  di- 
vided, (v.  24.)  Among  these  horns,  kings,  (v.  24,)  or 
kingdoms,  "another  shall  rise  after  them," — "among 
them,"  yet  in  the  order  of  time, — "afrer  them.'' 
Thus  it  appears  that  Daniel's  fourth  beast  had  eleven 
horns;  but  the  eleventh  is  called  *' another  which 
came  up,"  to  distinguish  it  from  the  ten,  (v.  20.) 
"He  shall  be  diverse  from  the  first,"  (v.  24.)  It  is 
thus  evident  that  the  last  horn, — the  eleventh,  is  as 
really  a  horn  of  the  beast,  as  the  other  ten;  and  of 
course  this  horn, — "little''  at  its  rise,  but  in  time  be- 
coming "more  stout  than  his  fellows,"  is  the  willing 
accomplice  in  crime  of  that  beast  whose  horn  it  is. 
"The  same  horn  made  war  with  the  saints,  and  pre- 
vailed against  them,"  (v.  21.) — *'He  had  two  horns 
like  a  lamb.''  He  professed  to  be  gentle  and  inno- 
cent as  a  lamb, — to  be  the  vicegerent  of  the  "Lamb 
of  God."  He  claimed  only  a  spiritual  jurisdiction. 
As  it  is  natural  that  a  lamb  should  have  only  two 
horns,  so  the  symbol  is  agreeable  to  nature.  But 
this  lamb  "spake  as  a  dragon;"  and  that  was  con- 
trary to  nature.  No  two  animals  in  creation  are  in 
their  respective  natures  more  diverse  or  oppostite  than 
a  lamb  and  a  beast  of  prey.  These  two  antagonistic 
natures  combined,  indicate  the  crafty  and  cruel  po- 
licy of  this  beast  of  the  earth.  Daniel  mentions  the 
"  little  horn''  of  the  civil  beast;  but  says  nothing  of 
the  "two-horned  beast."  On  the  other  hand,  John 
speaks  plainly  of  this  beast  of  the  earth,  but  omits 
any  mention  of  the  "little  horn.''  But  the  "beast  of 
the  earth"  and  the  "little  horn''  sustain  the  same 
relation  to  the  first  beast,  the  "beast  of  the  sea" — the 
Roman  empire;  therefore  the  "two-horned  beast  of 
the  earth''  and  the  "little  horn''  are  identical;  and 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  l93 

this  identity  is  confirmed  by  the  additional  name 
''false  prophet,"  given  to  the  beast  of  the  earth  in  ch. 
xix.  20.  His  alliance  and  co-operation  with  the  civil 
beast  is  precisely  the  same  as  in  this  chapter.  He 
"wrought  miracles  before  him,"  that  is, — in  his  inte- 
rest. Some  interpreters  have  mistaken^  this  "false 
prophet"  as  a  symbol  of  Mahometanism.  The  facts 
of  history  demonstrate  the  fallacy  of  this  interpretation; 
for  the  delusions  of  Mahomet  never  had,  and  they 
have  not  now,  any  affinity  with  the  idolatries  of  the 
Latin  Roman  empire.  But  these  two  beasts  of  the 
sea  and  of  the  earth  are  obviously  in  the  closest  sym- 
pathy, having  a  common  interest. 

13.  And  he  exerciseth  all  the  power  of  the  first  beast  before 
him,  and  causeth  the  earth  and  them  which  dwell  therein,  to 
worship  the  first  beast,  whose  deadly  wound  was  healed. 

V.  12. — The  second  beast  "exerciseth  all  the 
power  of  the  first  beast  before  him," — in  his  presence, 
under  his  sanction  and  powerful  protection.  Thus 
the  state,  or  empire,  lays  the  church  under  obligation, 
and  of  course  expects  a  reciprocity  of  kind  offices. 
This  is  effected  by  the  beast  of  the  earth  "causing  the 
earth — to  worship  the  first  beast.''  By  force  and  craft 
this  is  accomplished.  By  his  "  two  horns ''  of  power, 
the  regular  and  secular  orders  of  the  hierarchy,  as 
from  the  mouth  of  a  "dragon,"  he  enjoins  "submis- 
sion to  the  (civil)  powers  that  be."  But  besides  the 
horns  of  power,  that  is,  ecclesiastical  authority,  this 
beast  of  the  earth,  in  order  more  effectually  to  enforce 
his  commands  to  worship  the  first  or  civil  beast,  re- 
sorts to  "great  wonders, — miracles,''  (vs.  13,  14,) — 
"lying  wonders;"  (2  Thess.  ii.  9:)  for  Paul  and  John 
agree  in  their  description  of  the  same  diabolical  agen- 
cy. "As  Jannes  and  Jambres  withstood  Moses, — 
magicians  doing  so  with  their  enchantments ^"^ — "be- 
guiling unstable  souls,"  so  this  second  beast  "maketh 


194  NOTES  ON 

fire  to  come  down  from  heaven  on  the  earth  in  the 
sight  of  (credulous)  men.''  (2  Tim.  iii.  8;  Exod.  vii. 
22;  Acts  viii.  9-11.)  The  venal  ministry  of  the 
heathenized  church,  (ch.  xi.  2,)  inculcate  passive 
obedience  to  the  beast  of  the  sea,  as  to  the  *'  ordinance 
of  God;'' — to  "resist''  which,  subjects  the  recusant 
to  "damnation."  (Rom.  xiii.  2.)  Here,  then,  we 
behold  the  counterfeits  of  the  two  great  ordinances  of 
church  and  state,  against  w^hich  it  is  the  special  duty 
and  arduous  work  of  the  two  witnesses  to  contend 
for  1260  years.  This  "false  prophet,"  wdio  "spake 
as  a  dragon,  and  made  fire  to  come  down  from  hea- 
ven," to  authenticate  his  divine  mission,  may  repre- 
sent the  bulls,  anathemas,  interdicts,  encyclical  letters, 
which  emanate  from  Rome,  together  with  the  less 
terrifying    mandates    of    her    coadjutors, — "daugh- 


13.  And  he  doeth  great  wonders,  so  that  he  maketh  fire 
come  down  from  heaven  on  the  earth,  in  the  sight  of  men, 

14.  And  deceiveth  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth,  by  the 
means  of  those  miracles  which  he  had  power  to  do  in  the  sight  of 
the  beast;  saying  to  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth,  that  they 
should  make  an  image  to  the  beast  which  had  the  wound  by 
a  sword,  and  did  live. 

15.  And  he  had  power  to  give  life  unto  the  image  of  the 
beast,  that  the  image  of  the  beast  should  both  speak,  and 
cause  that  as  many  as  would  not  worship  the  image  of  the 
beast  should  be  killed. 

16.  And  he  caused  all,  both  small  and  great,  rich  and  poor, 
free  and  bond,  to  receive  a  mark  in  their  right  hand,  or  in 
their  foreheads: 

17.  And  that  no  man  might  buy  or  sell,  save  he  that  had 
the  mark,  or  the  name  of  the  beast,  or  the  number  of  his 
name. 

Vs.  13-17.— This  lamb-like  beast  of  the  earth  de- 
vises another  agency,  by  which  to  subserve  his  own 
diabolical  interest,  as  well  as  that  of  the  "first  beast." 
He  causes  to  be  made  "an  image"  to  or  of  the  beast 
of  the  sea.     Of  images  in  general,  as  objects  of  idola- 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  195 

trous  worship,  we  are  warranted  to  saj, — they  are 
dead  and  dumb  idols;  (ch.  ix.  20;  Jer.  x.  14:)  but 
thivS  one  is  altogether  different.  And  it  is  surprising^ 
to  find  learned  expositors  fixing  upon  the  superstitious 
use  of  the  cross  by  the  papists,  as  exemplifying  this 
symbol.  The  Holy  Spirit,  as  if  to  guard  all  readers 
against  such  misapprehension,  declares  explicitly,  that 
this  image  has  "life,  speaks,"  and  acts.  The  only 
point  in  which  this  image  resembles- others  is,  that  it 
is  to  be  worshipped :  but  of  all  others  we  are  assured 
that  they  *' cannot  do  evil,"  (Jer.  x.  5.)  This  image 
has  such  "life,"  (breath,)  and  power  as  to  cause  the 
death  of  such  as  refuse  to  worship  itself.  Three 
agents  are  to  be  noticed  and  clearly  distinguished 
here, — the  ten-horned  beast  of  the  sea,  the  two-horned 
heast  of  the  earth,  and  the  image  of  the  beast.  At  the 
instance  of  the  second  beast,  an  image  is  made;  not  to 
or  of  himself,  but  to^  and  also  of,  the  first  beast.  Now, 
as  the  beasts  put  forth  their  power  by  their  horns,  so  this 
ecclesiastical  beast  of  the  earth  makes  the  image  by  his 
horns.  In  short,  history  explains  the  symbols.  The 
Roman  clergy, — the  horns,  the  cardinals,  create  the 
Pope;  and,  in  their  own  ceremonial  and  language, — 
quern  crearit,  adorant  J  ^^Vihom  they  create,  they  adore;" 
like  all  other  idolaters.  Thus,  the  Pope  becomes  the 
"  man  of  sin,  sitting  in  the  temple  of  God,  showing  him- 
self that  he  is  God,"  (2  Thess.  ii.  4.)  The  Pope  is  the 
most  perfect  image  of  the  Roman  emperor ;  claiming 
the  same  universal  dominion,  the  same  titles  and  pre- 
rogatives, in  the  same  city:  but  the  Pope  and  the 
emperor  never  identify.  They  are  always  distinct. 
Two  authoritative  measures  are  to  be  specially  noticed 
in  this  connexion;  one  by  the  beast  of  the  earth,  the 
other  by  the  image  of  the  beast  of  the  sea.  The 
image  demands  worship  under  pain  of  death.  All 
heretics  are  judged  worthy  of  death.     All  are  required 


196  NOTES   ON 

by  the  second  beast  to  receive  the  mark  of  the  first 
or  civil  beast.  The  penalty  in  this  case  is  privation 
of  civil  and  political  privileges, — to  "buy  or  sell." 
It  is  to  be  noticed  here  that  the  "mark''  is  imposed 
by  the  authority  of  the  ecclesiastical  power,  the  two- 
horned  beast.  As  there  is  HabiUty  to  mistake  as  to 
which  of  the  two  beasts  the  "mark''  refers,  and  as 
this  mistake  is  in  fact  generally  made  by  expositors, 
the  apostle  John  has  been  directed,  as  in  the  case 
of  the  image,  to  be  peculiarly  explicit,  that  all  may 
know  it  to  be  the  mark  of  the  first  beast.  (See  chs. 
XV.  2;  xix.  20;  xx.  4.)  But  it  will  be  asked, — 
What  are  we  to  understand  by  the  "mark?"  This 
question  is  easily  answered  from  history.  The  hea- 
then idolater  gloried  in  his  devotion  to  his  imaginary 
god ;  as  the  ivy  leaf  was  the  token  of  the  worshippers 
of  Bacchus:  soldiers  bore  the  initials  of  the  names 
of  their  commanders;  and  slaves,  of  their  masters. 
These  characters  were  impressed  on  the  foreheads  or 
other  part  of  the  persons  of  individuals.  The  gene- 
ral idea  suggested  by  the  "mark"  was  subjection 
ov  jpro'perty.  In  short,  the  mark  of  the  beast  signi- 
fies open  and  avowed  allegiance  to  antichristian  or 
immoral  civil  power,  when  in  the  "forehead;"  and 
active  co-operation  with  the  same,  when  in  the 
"hand."  It  is  at  once  a  pitiable  and  culpable  error, 
to  suppose,  as  many  preposterously  do,  that  this 
"mark  of  the  beast"  is  popery  !  And  as  the  "mark" 
is  the  recognised  badge  of  loyalty  to  civil  rule,  of 
course  the  prohibition  to  "buy  or  sell,"  must  signify 
civil  disabilities, — disfranchisement.  Men  who  suffer, 
necessarily  feel.  Christ's  witnesses,  as  they  only 
have  the  scriptural  conception  of  the  rights  of  man, 
have  long  been  familiar  with  the  deprivation  of  their 
rights,  both  civil  and  ecclesiastical.  The  moral  evils 
incorporated  in  the  constitutions  of  church  and  state, 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  197 

throughout  all  the  streets  of  mystic  Babylon,  have 
effectually  excluded  the  two  witnesses,  and  left  them 
in  the  "wilderness."  Here  is  their  destined  "place," 
and  here  they  are  to  be  "  nourished  from  the  face 
of  the  serpent''  for  1260  years.  Christ's  promise, — 
"  I  will  not  leave  you  comfortless,''  (orphans,)  is  all 
along  verified  in  their  soul-satisfying  experience. — 
This  will  appear  in  the  next  chapter. 

18.  Here  is  wisdom.  Let  him  that  hath  understanding 
count  the  number  of  the  beast;  for  it  is  the  number  of  a  man; 
and  his  number  is  six  hundred  threescore  and  six. 

V.  18. — "The  name  of  the  beast,''  since  the  time 
of  Ireneus,  the  disciple  of  Polycarp,  who  was  cotem- 
porary  with  the  apostle  John,  is  understood  to  be 
Lateinos,  or  Lateinus;  for  it  is  well  known  to  scho- 
lars, that  classical  usage  justifies  the  orthography  of 
this  word.  However  learned  men  may  indulge  their 
fancy,  and  sport  with  this  mystic  and  sacred  name 
and  number,  no  other  word  fills  up  all  the  conditions 
required  by  the  inspired  writer.  Latinus  is  the 
proper  name  of  the  "first  beast,"  the  Latin  empire: 
ft  is  the  name  common  to  the  whole  population  of 
the  empire,  the  Latins:  it  is  the  name  of  ihQ  founder 
of  the  empire,  Latinus;  and  it  contains  the  number ^ 
QQQ.  The  probability  that  this  word  contains  the 
requisite  name  and  number,  amounts  almost  to  a  cer- 
tainty. The  unlearned  reader  may  be  easily  taught 
to  understand  how  to  "  count  the  number  of  the 
beast.''  Of  course,  the  apostle  John  accommodated 
his  expressions  to  the  custom  of  his  own  age.  Well, 
even  children  soon  learn  to  number  or  count  by  the 
use  of  Roman  letters  of  the  alphabet.  They  know 
that  the  letter  I,  stands  for  one;  V.  for  five,  etc. 
Now,  in  the  apostolic  age,  the  Jews,  Greeks  and  Ro- 
mans, were  accustomed  to  express  numbers  by  the 
use  of  the  letters  of  their  respective  alphabets.     This 


198  NOTES    ON 

we  suppose  to  be  the  only  rational  and  probable  me- 
thod of  solving  the  mystery. 

In  this  chapter  we  have  the  fullest  exhibition  of 
the  great  antichristian  confederacy,  spoken  of  by 
prophets  and  apostles,  including  the  '^man  of  sin,  to 
be  revealed  in  his  time."  The  component  parts  of 
that  complex  moral  person  called '*  Antichrist,"  are 
here  graphically  portrayed.  The  three  most  promi- 
nent features  are  the  two  beasts  of  the  sea  and  of  the 
earth,  with  the  image  of  the  first;  or,  a  tyrannical 
empire,  an  apostate  church,  and  the  Pope.  To  sup- 
pose that  the  Antichrist  is  a  power  or  moral  person 
distinct  from  these, — a  "wilful,  infidel  or  atheistical 
king,"  is  a  mere  chimera  framed  in  a  learned  brain, 
disordered  by  antichristian  politics.  The  chief,  if 
not  the  only  ostensible  ground  of  such  hypothesis  is 
the  language  of  our  apostle,  (1  John  ii.  22.)  "He 
is  Antichrist  that  denieth  the  Father  and  the  Son.'' 
The  sound  of  the  words  of  Scripture  is  too  often 
mistaken  for  the  sense.  This  is  a  notable  example. 
Erom  the  words  of  our  Divine  Redeemer, — "My  Fa- 
ther is  greater  than  I,  Socinians  infer  the  essential' 
inferiority  of  the  Son  to  the  Father.  So  in  the  pre- 
ceding instance.  The  inference  is,  that  the  Anti- 
christ is  to  be  known  by  a  doctrinal  denial  of  deity. 
But  the  very  name  of  this  enemy  of  all  righteousness, 
Antichrist,  demonstrates  his  recognition  of  the  exist- 
ence and  office  of  our  Saviour.  For  why  should  he 
oppose  a  nonentity?  All  scholars  are  aware  that  the 
primary  meaning  of  anti,  is  substitution.  (Matt,  xx; 
28.)  Antichrist  usurps  Christ's  place  in  church  and 
state,  that  he  may  more  successfully  oppose  his  inte- 
rest. There  is  no  mystery  to  the  intelligent  Christian 
in  the  declaration,  that  men  too  often  "profess  that 
they  know  God,  but  in  works  deny  him."  This  ex- 
plains the  fact  of  Antichrist's  denying  the  Father 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  199 

and  the  Son.  Usurping  the  prerogatives  of  the  Me- 
diator is  a  practical  denial  of  him, — of  his  authority, 
and  by  consequence,  of  the  Father  who  sent  him. 
*'He  that  acknowledgeth  the  Son,''  in  this  sense, 
"hath  the  Father  also;  while  it  is  equally  true,  in 
the  same  sense, — "whosoever  denieth  the  Son,  the 
same  hath  not  the  Father.''  (1  John  ii.  23.)  Hence 
it  is  not  true  that  the  Fope  is  the  Antichrist  of  pro- 
phecy, nor  the  church  of  Rome,  nor  both  combined; 
but  Daniel's  ten-horned  beast, — John's  seven-headed, 
ten-horned  beast,  which  are  the  same:  Daniel's  little 
horn  and  John's  beast  of  the  earth,  which  are  the 
same;  together  with  the  image  of  the  first  beast: 
the  Saracenic  locusts  and  Euphratean  horsemen; — 
all  these  go  to  the  composition  of  the  Antichrist, 
the  "eastern  and  western  Antichrist,''  so  identified 
SiTid  familiarly  designated  by  the  martyrs  and  tvit- 
nesses  of  Jesus  for  hundreds  of  years.  The  great 
family  of  nations,  called  "the  nations  of  this  world,'' 
(chap.  xi.  15;)  in  unholy  alliance  with  a  gentile 
church;  (ch.  xi.  2;)  these  combined,  constitute  the 
Antichrist.  They  "will  not  have  this  man  to  reign 
over  them."  Against  this  combination  it  is  the  ap- 
pointed business, — the  life  of  the  two  witnesses,  to 
prophesy  for  a  definite  period  of  42  months,  1260 
days,  time,  times  and  a  half;  all  indicating  the  same 
duration,  1260  natural  years.  All  this  time  the  wit- 
nesses are  alive  and  active,  but  in  an  obscure  and  de- 
pressed condition,  wearing  sackcloth  in  the  wilderness, 
"not  reckoned,  (not  reckoning  themselves,)  among 
the  nations."  (Num.  xxiii.  9;  Dan.  vii.  22,  27;  Rev. 
XX.  4.)  Such  is  the  condition  of  the  saints,  and  such 
the  powerful  combination  against  them,  as  symbolical- 
ly represented  in  the  11th,  12th  and  13th  chapters  of 
the  Apocalypse.  And  in  this  prolonged  and  eventful 
conflict  we  may  with  Moses,  "turn  aside  and  see  this 


200  NOTES    ON 

great  sight,  why  the  bush  is  not  burnt."  (Exod.  iii. 
3.)  The  Lord  was  in  the  bush,  and  ^'greater  is  he 
that  is  in  them  than  he  that  is  in  the  world."  (1 
John  iv.  4.)  This  will  appear  in  the  following  chap- 
ter. 


CHAPTER  Xiy. 

As  the  13th  chapter  contains  the  most  full  and 
graphic  description  of  the  great  apostacy,  so  in  this 
chapter  we  have  the  other  party  described  which  pro- 
tested against  that  apostacy.  It  is  a  concise  history 
of  the  two  witnesses  in  holy  and  happy  fellowship 
with  Christ,  when  he  had  rejected  the  heathenized 
church,  because  of  her  unholy  league  with  the  beast 
of  the  bottomless  pit,  (ch.  xi.  2,  7.)  The  contrast 
between  the  "sealed''  ones  here,  and  those  who  bore 
the  "  mark  of  the  beast,''  is  very  noticeable.  This 
fact  suggests  that  the  parties  are  cotemporarij.  Be- 
sides, it  is  evident  that  this  company  of  144,000  are 
the  legitimate  successors  of  those  sealed  in  ch.Vii.  4- 
8;  or  rather,  from  the  perpetual  identity  of  the 
covenant  society  as  a  moral  person,  we  may  view 
this  company  as  the  same  with  the  sealed  ones  of  the 
seventh  chapter,  the  two  witnesses  of  the  eleventh 
chapter,  and  as  in  the  wilderness  in  the  12th  chapter. 
Political  bias  caused  a  learned  expositor  to  interpret 
the  third  angel  of  this  chapter  as  a  symbol  of  the  pre- 
latic  church  of  England!  and  a  similar  bias,  or  mo- 
dern charity,  induced  another  to  distinguish  between 
the  "two  witnesses"  and  the  144,000.  T\ the  un- 
biased and  enlightened  mind  it  is  obvious  that  instead 
of  the  144,000  symbohzing  the  "pious  people, — in 
the  different  branches  of  the  Christian  church '' — all 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  201 

true  Christians ;  they  are  in  fact  distinguished  from 
true  Christians,  as  144,000  from  "a  great  multitude 
....  who  had  washed  their  robes,  and  made  them 
white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,''  (ch.  vii.  9,  14.) 

As  the  Antichrist,  after  his  first  development  in 
the  world,  appeared  in  diverse  forms  of  organization, 
thereby  more  effectually  to  deceive  them  that  dwell 
on  the  earth,  yet  still  preserved  his  moral  identity, 
so  the  faithful  servants  of  Christ  are  presented  in 
corresponding  attitudes  and  aspects,  to  oppose  and 
counteract  his  diabolical  policy  and  tyranny;  yet  al- 
ways preserving  their  proper  identity  during  the 
whole  period  of  1260  years. 

The  process  of  *' sealing  the  servants  of  God  in 
their  foreheads,''  (ch.  vii.  4-8,)  took  place  under  the 
sixth  seal  before  the  opening  of  the  seventh,  (ch.  viii. 
1,)  which  introduced  the  trumpets, — the  harbingers 
of  the  visible  organization  of  Antichrist.  For  this 
purpose  the  "four  winds," — all  winds,  emblematical 
of  popular  commotions,  were  by  four  angels  restrained 
from  blowing  upon  the  earth  etc.,  during  the  peace- 
ful reign  of  Constantino  and  his  successors.  Under 
the  patronage  of  those  nominally  Christian  emperors, 
as  history  informs  us,  multitudes  flocked  into  the 
church;  *'the  number  of  immoral  and  unworthy 
Christians  began  so  to  increase,  that  the  examples  of 
real  piety  and  virtue  became  extremely  rare  .... 
The  virtuous  few  were  oppressed  and  overwhelmed 
with  the  superior  numbers  of  the  wicked  and  licen- 
tious.''* Thus  the  way  was  prepared  for  the  visible 
appearing  of  the  "man  of  sin," — the  papacy.  So 
soon  as  the  confederate  hosts  of  the  dragon  are  com- 
pletely organized,  the  two  witnesses  take  their  posi- 
tion with  the  Lamb. 

*  Mosheiin. 


202  KOTES    ON 

1.  And  I  looked,  and,  lo,  a  Lamb  stood  on  Mount  Zion, 
and  with  him  a  hundred  forty  and  four  thousand,  having  his 
Father's  name  written  in  their  foreheads. 

V.  1. — While  *'all  the  world  wonders  after  the 
beast,"  (xiii.  3,)  and  the  gross  senses  of  the  multi- 
tude are  preoccupied  with  that  object;  here  is  ano- 
ther presented  more  worthy  of  our  contemplation. 
Often  has  the  Lord  Jesus  appeared  in  vision  to  John 
while  viewing  the  grand  panorama  passing  before 
him  in  Patmos.  Here  he  appears  as  the  '*  captain  of 
the  Lord's  host"  at  the  head  of  his  army;  not  in- 
deed in  active  military  enterprise,  but  rather  as 
leader  in  acts  of  solemn  worship  during  a  temporary 
recess  from  sanguinary  warfare.  He  and  his  asso- 
ciates are  on  the  "Mount  Zion."  "In  Zion  is  his 
seat."  .  .  .  "The  Lord  hath  founded  Zion,  and  the 
poor  of  his  people  shall  trust  in  it.  (Is.  xiv.  32.) 
This  select  company  maintain  fellowship  with  Christ, 
being  "really  and  inseparably  united  to  him  as  their 
Head,"  by  the  bond  of  the  Spirit,  on  his  part,  and 
faith  on  theirs.  Christ's  "Father's  name  in  their 
foreheads  "  indicates  that  they  are  the  property  and 
voluntary  servants  of  God  in  Christ.  Of  this  cove- 
nant relation  baptism  is  the  visible  sign;  but  while 
Simon  Magus  may  bear  the  sign,  none  but  those  who 
are  "sealed  unto  the  day  of  redemption,"  are  ho- 
nored to  "stand  with  the  Lamb  on  Mount  Zion.'' 
To  him  their  number  is  as  accurately  known,  as  one 
hundred  and  forty-four  thousand  is  to  us  ;  and  "truly 
their  fellowship  is  with  the  Father  and  with  his  Son 
Jesus  Christ."  The  votaries  of  the  beast  may  either 
glory  in  bearing  his  mark  in  their  foreheads,  or  con- 
ceal the  mark  in  their  right  hand;  but  the  followers 
of  the  Lamb  will  "confess  him  and  his  word  before 
men,''  at  the  hazard  of  all  that  is  dear  to  men, — 
even  life  itself.  (Mark  viii.  38.) 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  203 

2.  Ard  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  as  the  voice  of  many 
waters,  and  as  the  voice  of  a  great  thunder:  and  I  heard  the 
voice  of  harpers  harpinj^  with  their  harps : 

3.  And  they  sung  as  it  were  a  new  song  before  the  throne, 
flnd  before  the  four  beasts,  and  the  elders:  and  no  man  could 
learn  that  song  but  the  hundred  and  forty  and  four  thousand, 
which  were  redeemed  from  the  earth. 

Vs.  2,  3. — "Let  the  children  of  Zion  be  joyful  in 
their  King.  .  .  .  Let  the  high  praises  of  God 
be  in  their  mouth." — (Ps.  exlix.  2,  6.)  Unterrified 
by  the  roaring  of  the  beasts  of  prey,  these  followers 
of  the  Lamb  lift  their  voices  in  unison;  and  whether 
on  mountains  or  in  valleys,  in  dens  or  in  caves  of 
the  earth,  their  songs  of  praise  ascend  to  the  ears 
of  the  Lord  of  Sabaoth.  The  symphony  is  height- 
ened by  the  "voice  of  harpers,  harping  with  their 
harps."  And  if  any  person  be  so  ignorant  as  to 
grcund  an  argument  on  these  words,  for  the  use  of 
instruments  in  the  worship  of  God,  consistency  will 
require  him  to  take  his  position  on  the  literal  Mount 
Zion  with  a  literal  lamb! 

The  song  was  new.  It  was  not  peculiar  to  the 
Mosaic  economy;  that,  like  it,  was  to  "wax  old  and 
vanish  away." — (Heb.  viii.  13.)  No,  it  was  indited 
by  the  Holy  Spirit,  "to  whom  all  hearts  are  known, 
and  all  events  foreknown."  It  was  a  song  exactly 
framed  to  answer  the  twofold  end  of  all  inspired 
songs — to  display  the  glories  of  the  Godhead,  and 
delineate  the  workings  of  grace  and  corruption  with 
infallible  precision,  neither  of  which  can  be  even 
successfully  imitated  by  the  best  of  uninspired  men  ) 
much  less  by  the  licentious  debauchees — the  slaves 
of  Antichrist.  Moreover,  the  order  of  worship,  as 
here  exemplified,  merits  special  attention,  The 
144,000  perform  this  solemn  service  "before  the 
four  beasts,  and  the  elders."  The  office-bearers, 
appointed   by  the  Lamb — the   Lord  Christ — direct 


204  NOTES   ON 

the  whole  solemnity.  Among  this  joyful  and  holy 
company,  there  is  no  hint  that  any  part  of  public 
worship  is  left  to  "a  vote  of  the  congregation."  This 
"new  song"  was  unintelligible  by  the  votaries  of  the 
beast;  nor  could  they  learn  it  while  in  that  servile 
vassalage.  They  only  who  were  **  redeemed  from 
the  earth,"  as  well  as  *'from  among  men,"  were  ca- 
pable of  learning  it.  As  this  song  related  to  the 
royal  prerogatives  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  those  who 
"dwelt  on  the  earth"  had  transferred  their  allegi- 
ance to  Antichrist,  they  became  thereby  incapaci- 
tated for  learning  that  song.  Alas!  how  many  com- 
plain of  the  cloudiness^  the  Jewish  peculiarities^  the 
unforgiving^  revengeful  spirit  of  the  inspired  Psalms! 
In  their  apprehension,  they  are  "contrary  to  the 
spirit  of  the  gospel " — that  is,  the  Holy  Spirit  is 
contrary  to  Himself!  0,  the  blasphemy!  Can  such 
learn  the  "new  song?"  No,  indeed,  unless  they  re- 
pent and  "pray  God  if  perhaps  the  thought  of  their 
heart  may  be  forgiven  them." 

4.  These  are  they  which  were  not  defiled  with  women;  for 
they  are  virgins.  These  are  they  which  follow  the  Lamb 
withersoever  he  goeth.  These  were  redeemed  from  among 
men,  being  the  first  fruits  unto  God  and  to  the  Lamb. 

5.  And  in  their  mouth  was  found  no  guile:  for  they  are 
without  fault  before  the  throne  of  God. 

Ys.  4,  5. — These  144,000  worshippers  are  farther 
distinguished  by  their  chastity.  Betrothed  to  the 
Lord  Christ  from  eternity,  they  were  married  to 
him  in  time.  (Hosea  ii.  19,  20;  Rom.  vii.  4;  Cor,  xi, 
2.)  Indeed  the  marriage  covenant  is  employed 
throughout  the  Bible,  to  shadow  forth  the  union  be- 
tween Christ  and  believers.  (See  Is.  liv.  5;  Jer.  xxxi. 
32;  Hos.  ii.  2;  Rev.  xxi.  2.)  This  analogy  pervades 
the  45th  Psalm  and  the  Song  of  Solomon.  Idolatry 
is  therefore  adultery;  and  superstition,  will-worship 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  205 

and  human  inventions,  as  means  of  grace  or  of 
communion  with  God,  are  fornication.  (Ezek.  xxiii. 
27.)  Accordingly,  the  "kings  of  the  earth"  are 
charged  with  this  crime,  (ch.  xviii.  3.)  Hence,  it 
is  plain  that  this  company  with  the  Lamb  are  such 
as  do  not  receive  or  "teach  for  doctrines  the  com- 
mandments of  men,",  nor  submit  to  a  "voluntary 
humility  and  worshipping  of  angels,  (Col.  ii.  18,) 
"for  they  are  virgins."  (Ps.  xlv.  14.)  They  are 
distinguished  for  "sound  doctrine  and  the  power  of 
godliness."  "A  man  that  is  a  heretic,  after  the 
first  and  second  admonition,"  they  "  reject."  (Titus 
iii.  10.)  They  cannot  be  indifferent  to  truth  and 
error  ;  and  they  may  be  known  by  their  love  for 
practical,  but  especially  doctrinal^  preaching.  They 
frequent  the  ministry  of  those  who  "  give  attendance 
to  reading,  to  exhortation,  to  doctrine."  (1  Tim.  iv. 
13.) 

"These  follow  the  Lamb."  (John  x,  4,  27.)  Next 
after  self  denial,  taking  up  the  cross,  becomes  the 
test  of  discipleship.  (Matt.  xvi.  24,  25.)  Suffering 
is  the  most  trying  and  most  difficult  part  of  a  Chris- 
tian's obedience.  But  mere  suffering  for  one's  reli- 
gion is  no  evidence  that  his  religion  is  scriptural. 
Nor  is  punishment  endured  for  reWgion  persecution  ; 
but  suffering  "  for  righteousness'  sake,  or  for  Christ's 
sake,"  is  persecution.  And  this  is  what  is  implied 
in  "following  the  Lamb  whithersoever  he  goeth." 
Not  suffering,  but  the  cause  for  which  he  suffers, 
makes  a  Christian  martyr.  All  these  144,000  are 
martyrs  in  principle  and  intention. 

Besides,  "  these  were  redeemed  (bought)  from 
among  men."  Purchase  supposes  contract, — a  price 
fixed  and  paid.  This  ransom  is  both  from  debt  and 
crime, — from  bondage,  sin  and  penalty.  The  Lamb 
is  their  surety.  With  his  blood  he  "redeemed  them 
14         ^ 


206  NOTES    ON 

to  God,"  (ch.  V.  9 ;  1  Pet.  i.  19.)  An  atonement 
which  does  not  reco7icile^  a  redemption  which  does 
not  save,  must  be  an  atonement  and  a  redemption 
without  a  compact.  Hence  the  covenant  of  grace, 
and  Christ's  engagement  as  surety  in  that  covenant, 
determine  the  extent  of  the  atonement;  for  without 
compact  no  sinne?'  could  be  saved!  But  such  is  the 
liberal  doctrine  of  the  boasted  Roman  Catholic 
Church,  and  such  the  sandy  foundation  of  that 
"general  and  doubtsome  faith"  which  the  witnesses 
renounce.  However  numerous  these  followers  of 
the  Lamb  may  seem  to  be,  they  are  no  more  than 
"  the  first  fruits."  But  the  first  fruits  are  part  of  the 
coming  harvest,  and  an  assured  pledge  of  a  larger 
ingathering.  Their  numbers  were  to  be  greatly 
augmented  by  the  Reformation,  and  still  further  in 
the  millennial  era. 

*' Godly  sincerity"  is  the  last  quality  of  these 
upright  ones.  They  are  ^'Israelites  without  guile." 
Integrity,  probity,  candor,  distinguish  them  from 
the  ''flocks  of  the  companions"  by  whom  they  are 
surrounded.  "As  they  think  in  their  heart,  so  do 
they  expresa  the  truth."  (Ps.  xv.  2;  xii.  2;  John  i. 
47.)  They  know  nothing  of  the  "pious  frauds" 
any  more  than  the  "indulgences"  and  "supere- 
rogations" by  which  the  "man  of  sin"  sustains  his 
interest.  Their  being  "without  fault  before  the 
throne  of  God,"  is  the  highest  commendation  possi- 
ble ;  yet  it  does  not  imply  sinless  perfection.  It 
speaks  their  justification  by  the  righteousness  of 
Christ,  and  their  Christian  sincerity,  such  as  God 
testifies  of  Job,  (ch.  i.  8.)  Who  would  not  prefer 
the  society  and  employments  of  those  who  are  with 
the  Lamb  on  Mount  Zion,  to  dwelling  in  the  tents 
of  wickedness  ?  Let  our  delights  be  with  these  ex- 
cellent ones  of  the  earth. 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  207 

6.  And  I  saw  another  angel  fly  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  hav- 
ing the  everlasting  gospel  to  preach  unto  them  that  dwell  on 
the  earth,  and  to  every  nation,  and  kindred,  and  tongue,  and 
people, 

7.  Saying  with  a  loud  voice,  Fear  God,  and  give  glory  to 
him;  forthehourofhis  judgment  is  come:  and  worship  him  that 
made  heaven,  and  earth,  and  the  sea,  and  ihe  fountains  of  water. 

Vs.  6,  7. — The  apostles,  Paul  and  John  agree, 
as  already  noticed,  in  delineating  a  great  defection 
from  the  purity  and  power  of  Christianity  in  "  the 
last  days."  Paul  calls  this  event  "the  Apostacy," 
(2  Thess.  ii.  3.)  while  John  designates  it  "the  An- 
tichrist." (1  John  ii.  22.)  Both  these  inspired  wri- 
ters use  the  Greek  article,  as  may  be  supposed,  to 
emphasize  that  wicked  confederacy  of  Church  and 
State, — a  confederacy  of  greater  extent  and  longer 
continuance  than  any  other  conspiracy  "against  the 
Lord  and  his  Anointed."  Against  these  the  saints 
of  God,  with  Messiah  at  their  head,  contend  for  the 
allotted  period  of  1260  years,  as  we  have  seen  in 
the  three  preceding  chapters.  On  their  part  the 
w^arfare  is  mostly  defensive,  and  their  weapons  or- 
dinarily spiritual.  (2  Cor.  vi.  6,  7.) 

From  the  6th  verse  to  the  close  of  this  chapter 
are  presented,  under  customary  and  well-defined 
symbols,  three  successive  stages  of  successful  refor- 
mation, showing  how  the  "two  witnesses"  manage 
their  scriptural  and  effective  testimony  against  an- 
tichristian  error  and  disorder  in  organized  society. 
Three  mystic  "angels"  successively  appear,  divinely 
commissioned  to  execute  their  respective  and  ap- 
pointed work.  These  angels  have  been  correctly 
designated,  by  judicious  expositors,  "  angels  of  revi- 
val and  reform."  To  the  intelligent  Christian  it 
will  be  obvious,  that  without  reform  there  can  be  no 
revival.  The  popular  idea  of  our  time  connected 
with   the  term  revival,  is  without  foundation  in  the 


208  NOTES   ON 

Holy  Scriptures.  It  does  not  mean  the  regenera- 
tion of  a  sinner,  nor  the  first  work  of  the  Spirit  in 
conviction.  It  presupposes  the  existence  of  the 
vital  principle,  and  the  bringing  of  that  living  prin- 
ciple into  visible  activity,  (Rom,  vii.  9;)  and  this  is 
equally  true,  whether  of  an  individual  or  moral 
person.  (Ps.  Ixxxv,  6 ;  Ezek.  xxxvii.)  Divine  truth 
and  external  order  are  characteristics  of  a  genuine 
revival :  for  nothing  but  "  sound  doctrine  "  can  pro- 
duce ''the  power  of  godliness."  Tho  popular  com- 
motions and  social  disorders  which  accompany  modern 
revivals,  render  them  highly  suspicious,  if  they  do 
not  demonstrate  them  to  be  spurious.  It  is  true, 
indeed,  that  passionate  declamation,  vociferous  as- 
sertion of  heresy,  intensified  by  theatrical  and  vio- 
lent gesticulation,  may  comrnove  to  a  higher  degree 
the  active  powers, — the  passions  of  the  sinner ;  but 
such  appliances  can  generate  only  a  temporary  faith. 
Such  converts,  "  having  no  root  in  themselves,  wither 
away."  (Mark  iv.  6.)  '•'God  is  not  the  author  of 
confusion,  .but  of  peace,  as  in  all  the  churches  of 
the  saints."  So  these  angels  of  reform  declare  by 
their  ministry. 

The  first  of  these  angels  is  the  recognized  symbol 
of  a  gospel  ministry,  (ch.  i.  20;  ii.  1,  8,  12,  etc.) 
''Heaven"  is  the  visible  church  general.  "Flying"' 
indicates  celerity  of  motion.  This  "angel"  does 
not  represent  any  individual,  as  Lutlier ;  but  the 
collective  body  of  those  who  carry  the  joyful  message 
of  "the  everlasting  gospel."  This  gospel  is  ever- 
lasting  as  distinguished  from  "  another  gospel,  which 
is  not  another  "  (Gal.  i.  6,  7,  8,  9,) — a  spurious, 
counterfeit,  and  therefore  ephemeral  gospel,  invented 
and  propagated  by  the  "  man  of  sin,"  from  the  flood 
which  issued  from  the  mouth  of  the  dragon,  fch.  xii. 
15  )     The  gospel  preached  by  this  angei  is  everlast- 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  209 

ing  in  its  origin  and  duration.  (Tit.  i.  2  ;  John  iv. 
14;  Gal.  vi.  8.)  This  angel's  commission  is  as  ex- 
tensive as  that  of  the  apostles, — ^"  every  nation  ;"  his 
"loud  voice"  is  expressive  of  his  zeal,  energy  and 
authority;  the  subject  matter  of  his  brief  sermon  in- 
dicates very  plainly  that  the  object  of  his  teaching 
is  to  counteract  the  heresies  of  the  Romish  apostacy. 
*'  Fear  God  and  give  glory  to  him," — not  to  the  Vir- 
gin Mary,  canonized  saints  and  angels,  images  of 
wood  and  stone,  (ch.  ix.  20.)  All  are  solemnly 
warned  to  "  abstain  from  pollutions  of  idols,"  and 
their  attention  earnestly  directed  to  their  Creator, — 
to  him  "who  made  heaven,  and  earth,  the  seas  and 
fountains  of  waters.*'  This  argument  of  the  angel 
is  very  short, — that  He  only  is  to  be  worshipped  who 
created  the  universe  ;  but  it  is  sufScient  to  "  leave  all 
men  without  excuse  who  do  not  glorify  him  as  God." 
(Rom.  i,  20,  21.)  And  how  much  more  aggravated 
is  the  guilt  of  professing  Christians!  But  the  "an- 
gel" employs  another  powerful  argument  to  enforce 
his  teaching, — "  The  hour  of  his  judgment  is  come." 
The  final  judgment  of  the  last  day  is  often  set  before 
us  in  the  Bible,  and  it  is  so  even  in  this  book  ;  but 
the  last  judgment  cannot  be  intended  here,  for  sub- 
sequent judgments  are  to  be  inflicted  according  to 
the  messages  of  the  following  angels. 

That  Charlemagne  should  be  mistaken  for  this 
flying  angel  betrays  an  almost  incredible  hallucina- 
tion of  the  human  mind  !*  No  individual,  as  already 
noticed,  much  less  a  successful  civil  or  military  ty- 
rant, can  be  intended  by  the  Spirit  as  the  herald  of 
the  "everlasting  gospel !" 

In  fact,  this  "angel"  is  identical  with  the  "two 
witnesses,"    whose   special  work   is   to   oppose   the 

^Such  is  the  interpretation  of  Bishop  NewtonI 


210  .     NOTES  ON 

great   apostacy ;  and  this  they  do  in  a  pre-eminent 
manner  by  proclaiming  the  everlasting  gospel.     For 
500  years  those  who  are   known  in   history  by  the 
name  of  Waldenses,  kept  the  doctrines  and   order 
of  the  apostles,  in  a  state  of  separation  from   the 
Church  of  Rome,     In  the  latter  part  of  the  twelfth 
century  their  numbers  and   influence  attracted   the 
notice   and  brought  upon   them   the  wrath  of   the 
*'man  of  sin."     In  the  following  ages  multitudes  of 
them  were  subjected  to  all  the  penalties  of  confisca- 
tion,   banishment    and    death.      Like    the   seed    of 
Abraham  in  Egypt,  however,  "  the  more  they  were 
afflicted,  the  more  they  multiplied  and  grew."    They 
revived   true  religion  in  the   kingdoms  of  southern 
Europe,   and  it  is  most  probable  that  the  good  seed 
sown  by  them  renched  even  to  the  island  of  Britain. 
John  Iluss  and  Jerome,  who,  by  decree  of  the  coun- 
cil of   Constance,  were  committed  to  the  flames  for 
heresy;   and  Wishart,  in   England,  whose   end   was 
similar,  together  with  such  as  co-operated  with  them 
and  succeeded  them  in  the  same  holy  warfare,  are 
to    be  viewed   as  answering    to   the   mystic   angel. 
These  faithful  and  dauntless  men  denounced  divine 
judgments  against  all  who  worshipped   graven   im- 
ages, however  enjoined   by  civil   and   ecclesiastical 
authority.    For  their  fidelity  to  Christ  and  the  souls 
of  men,  they  were  subjected  to  the  heaviest  censures 
of  the  heathenized  church,  and  the  severest  penalties 
of  a  tyrannical  state, —  the  beast  of  the  earth  and 
the   beast  of  the  sea  always  in  unholy  alliance  and 
acting  in  concert.     The  ministry  of  this  angel  is  a 
testimony  against  p;ipal   corruptions,  such   as   the 
w^orshipping   images  of  the   Creator  and   creatures, 
but  especially  the  Pope, — the  image  of  the   Roman 
emperor.     It  is  a  mere  fancy  to  suppose  this  angel 
symbolizes    modern    missions.     The    series    of   the 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  211 

prophecy  forbids  such  an  interpretation.  Besides, 
the  idolatry  of  Rome  Christian,  is  not  less  real  or 
gross  than  the  idolatry  of  pagans,  and  calls  for  a 
more  earnest  testimony;  and  God  has  never  left 
himself  witliout  witnesses  against  defection  and 
apostacy.  This  angel  prepares  the  way  for  his  suc- 
cessor, who  prosecutes  the  same  work  with  increas- 
ing clearness  and  confidence, 

8i  And  there  followed  another  angel,  saying,  Babylon  is 
fallen,  is  fallen,  that  gre'U  city,  because  she  made  all  nations 
drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  her  fornication. 

V.  8. — "There  followed  another  angel."  Some 
expositors*  interpret  this  angel  of  Luther,  some  of 
Calvin ;  but  no  individual  is  sufficiently  prominent 
in  history  to  justify  the  application  to  him  of  so 
striiiing  a  symbol  in  so  concise  a  prophecy.  Such 
restriction  of  a  symbol  to  an  individual  results  from 
prelatic  habits  of  thought.  In  the  mind  of  a  prelate 
the  idea  of  a  gospel  ministry  includes  that  of  a  me- 
tropolitan.  This  angel  is,  in  fact,  as  usual,  simply 
the  emblem  of  the  ministry,  not  excluding  the  social 
body  of  which  they  are  the  official  guides. 

This  second  angel  carries  forward  the  reformation 
eifected  by  his  predecessor,  reviving  that  cause 
when  it  began  to  languish  under  the  violence  of 
Antichrist.  "  While  the  Roman  pontiff,"  says  Mos- 
heim,  "slumbered  in  security  at  the  head  of  the 
church,  and  saw  nothing  throughout  the  vast  extent 
of  his  domain  but  tranquillity  and  submission,  and 
while  the  worthy  and  pious  professors  of  genuine 
Christianity  almost  despaired  of  seeing  that  Refor- 
mation on  which  their  most  ardent  desires  and  ex- 
pectations were  bent,  an  obscure  and  inconsiderable 
person  arose  on  a  sudden,  in  the  year  1517,  and 
laid  the  foundation  of  the  long  expected  change,  by 

*  Faber. 


212  NOTES   ON 

opposing  with  undaunted  resolution  his  single  force 
to  the  torrent  of  papal  ambition  and  despotism." 
That  individual  was  the  heroic  Luther,  whose  praise 
is  in  all  the  churches  till  the  present  day.  No  in- 
dividual is  so  famous  in  the  history  of  that  eventful 
period  as  Martin  Luther,  for  recovering  the  doctrine 
of  justification  by  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  to  the 
exclusion  of  all  creature- merit.  This  fundamental 
principle  in  the  economy  of  man's  salvation  he  justly 
denominated  articulus  stantis  vel  cadentis  ecclesice — 
"  the  hinge  of  a  standing  or  falling  church."  By 
the  defence  and  propagation  of  this  doctrine  espe- 
cially, the  priestly  office  of  Christ  was  vindicated 
against  the  dogmas  of  penance,  indulgence  and  su- 
pererogation, inculcated  by  the  "Man  of  Sin;"  and 
by  consequence,  one  of  the  bulwarks  of  mystical 
Babylon  effectually  demolished.  At  the  famous 
Diet  of  Worms,  which,  like  the  Council  of  Constance, 
combined  the  imperial  power  of  Rome,  civil  and  ec- 
clesiastic, that  indomitable  servant  of  Christ  gave 
a  visible  demonstration  that  "  the  Spirit  of  the  Fa- 
ther "  animated  and  "spake  in  him,"  (Matt.  x.  20.) 
Not  less  explicit  was  Luther  on  the  fundamental 
doctrine  of  the  divine  decrees;  which,  with  other 
Arminian  dogmas  of  ^reature-merit,  had  been  almost 
universally  propagated  and  stamped  with  the  pre- 
tended infallible  authority  of  Rome.  By  the  trans- 
lation and  circulation  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  among 
the  people,  the  idolatries,  impositions  and  profligacy 
of  the  priesthood  were  extensively  discovered.  And 
after  years  of  deference  to  ecclesiastical  authority, 
conditional  proposals  of  submission  to  the  Pope  upon 
conviction  of  error  in  his  theses^  or  conscientious 
belief,  Luther  in  time  arrived  at  the  conclusion  that 
the  church  of  Rome  was  irreclaimable,  giving  pub- 
licity to  his  deep  convictions  in  a  treatise  De  Cap- 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  213 

tivitate  Bahylonica, — "The  Captivity  of  Babylon." 
In  the  18ch  chapter  of  this  book,  he  discovered  that 
Babylon  is  doomed  to  destruction.  He  considered 
the  church  of  Rome  as  answering  to  the  prophetic 
symbol,  and  of  course  not  to  be  reformed.  It  was 
an  obvious  inference — he  ought  to  obey  Christ 
rather  than  the  Pope, — "Come  out  of  her,  my  peo- 
ple."— This  call  was  indeed  a  sufficient  warrant  to 
separate  from  the  Church  of  Rome;  and,  acting  on 
it,  protestant  churches  have  ever  since  been  organ- 
ized: but  the  type  or  symbol,  Babylon,  was  unwar- 
rantably restricted  in  import,  as  representing  only 
the  Church  of  Rome.  And  it  is  to  be  deplored  that 
most  protestant  expositors  continue  to  limit  the  in- 
spired symbol  in  the  same  way  till  the  present  time. 
The  literal  Babylon,  a  name  common  to  the  ancient 
city  and  empire  by  the  river  Euphrates,  was  in  no 
sense  a  church;  and  it  would  be  anomalous  and  in- 
congruous to  select  either  city  or  empire  as  an 
emblem  of  a  chu7'eh!  There  is,  however,  in  the 
Apocalypse  a  combining  or  blending  of  symbols  in 
order  clearly  and  fully  to  represent  a  complex  moral 
person.  This  has  been  already  exemplified  in  ch. 
xiii.  2,  where  the  prominent  features  of  Daniel's  first 
three  beasts,  (ch.  vii.  4-6,)  are  combined  in  John's 
first  beast  of  the  sea.  Just  so  in  this  instance.  The 
idolatrous  and  tyrannical  Roman  empire,  in  alliance 
with  an  apostate  church,  constitutes  mystical  Baby- 
lon. History  demonstrates  the  fact  of  their  coali- 
tion. The  great  red  dragon,  the  devil,  operates 
through  both  during  the  allotted  period  of  1260  years 
against  the  witnesses  of  Christ.  Sometimes,  indeed, 
the  nominal  church  is  the  more  active  and  visible 
instrument,  and  at  other  times  the  state,  in  oppo- 
sing Mediatory  authority;  and  thus  Babylon,  or 
one  of  her  streets,  which  is  the  equivalent  of  a  horn 
of  the  beast,  becomes  prominent. 


214  NOTES   ON 

This  second  angel  confidently  proclaims, — *^  Baby- 
lon is  fallen,  is  fallen.''  So  said  Isaiah  of  literal 
Babylon  long  before  the  event;  (ch.  xxi.  9,)  and  so 
said  Jeremiah,  (ch.  li.  8,)  to  whose  predictions  John 
obviously  alludes.  All  these  three  prophets  speak 
in  present  time  of  a  future  event,  simply  because  of 
the  settled  and  unalterable  purpose  of  God,  acting 
not  formally  as  a  sovereign,  but  as  a  judge.  The 
multiplied  and  aggravated  crimes  of  Babylon,  literal 
or  mystical  Babylon,  are  the  just  grounds  of  her  de- 
served and  awful  doom.  From  ancient  times  God 
has  declared  by  his  prophets  the  things  that  are  not 
yet  done.  (Isa.  xlvi.  10.)  His  counsel  stands  and 
he  doeth  all  his  pleasure. 

That  the  mystical  Babylon  emblematically  repre- 
sented the  complex  systems  of  civil  and  ecclesiastical 
corruption  and  despotism  organized  in  Christendom, 
was  in  some  degree  understood  by  the  reformers  in 
Europe;  but  the  work  of  this  second  angel  was  carried 
on  successively  by  men  of  piety  and  learning,  who 
were  eminently  qualified  for  systematically  arranging 
the  doctrines  of  grace  as  deduced  from  the  word  of 
God.  Their  pious  labors  we  still  have  in  the  forms 
of  Bodies  of  Divinity  and  Confessions  of  Faith,  in 
both  which  the  unscriptural  and  antiscriptural  dog- 
mas and  heresies  of  Rome  are  condemned  and  solidly 
confuted  by  the  Scriptures.  There  is  a  wonderful 
*4iarmony  of  confessions"  framed  by  those  who  se- 
parated from  the  fellowship  of  the  Romish  church; 
which  harmony  can  be  accounted  for  only  by  the 
fact  that  those  who  framed  them  drev/  their  materials 
from  the  Bible.  But  it  was  by  their  public  covenants 
es'pecially^  that  the  reformers  lifted  a  testimony 
against  the  heresies,  immoralities  and  tyrannies  of 
the  church  of  Rome.  And  among  all  the  churches  of 
the  Reformation,  that  of  Scotland  is  justly  entitled  to 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  215 

the  pre-eminence.  In  no  nation  or  state  in  Christen- 
dom did  the  witnesses  of  Christ, — the  second  angel, 
attain  so  nearly  to  a  scriptural  model  of  organized 
society  in  church  and  state  as  in  that  land,  whose 
mountains  and  valleys  were  "flowered  with  martyrs  " 
for  a  "Covenanted  Work  of  Reformation.''  As 
Zuingle  the  Swiss-reformer  excelled  Luther,  Calvin 
and  others  in  Europe  in  the  application  of  the  divine 
moral  law,  as  revealed  in  Scriptures,  to  civil  society, 
so  John  Knox  in  Scotland  was  equally  clear,  that 
royal  personages  are  amenable  to  the  body  politic, 
and  both  to  the  Mediator. 

We  are  noio  under  the  ministry  of  this  second 
*' angel.''  The  revival  effected  by  the  first  angel 
had  greatly  declined  before  the  second  made  his  ap- 
pearance; and  all  persons  of  intelligence  and  spiri- 
tual discernment  in  our  day,  lament  the  visible  de- 
cline in  practical  godliness,  arising  from  indifference 
to  divine  truth.  Most  professing  Christians,  includ- 
ing the  descendants  of  the  martyrs,  are  "Avillingly 
ignorant"  of  the  attainments  and  sufferings  of  their 
illustrious  predecessors.  The  work  of  reformation 
to  be  accomplished  by  the  second  angel,  we  suppose 
to  have  been  completed  about  the  middle  of  the  se- 
venteenth century.  Since  that  period  his  work  ap- 
pears from  history  to  consist  in  testifying  against  de- 
fection from  the  reformation  which  had  been  reached. 
The  "great  city"  is  to  fall  *' because  she  made  all 
nations  drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  her  fornica- 
tion.'' She  is  '*  spiritually  called  Sodom  and  Egypt,'' 
neither  of  which  was  a  church  any  more  than  Baby- 
lon. These  were  all  heathen  communities,  never 
married  to  the  Lord;  therefore  Babylon  is  not  here 
charged  as  an  adulteress,  but  with,  fornication.  The 
nations  are  her  paramours.  Her  wine  is  intoxicating. 
It  deranges  the  intellect  and  stupifies  the  conscience. 


216  NOTES   ON 

Will  any  reasoning  prevail  with  a  drunken  man? 
An  active  politician  is  proverbially  unscrupulous, 
and  proof  against  the  law  of, God.  There  is,  how- 
ever, "wrath"  in  this  cup.  Those  who  refuse  to 
"kiss  the  Son"  must  feel  the  weight  of  his  iron  rod. 
(Ps.  ii.  9,  12;  Ixxv.  8.) 

The  *' little  book''  introduced  at  the  10th  chapter, 
is  included  in  the  first  13  verses  of  the  11th  chapter, 
which  comprehends  a  concise  history  of  the  1260 
years,  as  we  have  seen.  At  the  15th  verse,  the  se- 
venth and  last  trumpet  is  sounded  which  introduces 
the  millennium  and  gives  a  brief  outline  of  events 
till  the  end  of  the  world.  Then  the  three  following 
chapters  give  in  detail  the  events  prior  to  the  millen- 
nium, a  commentary,  as  it  were,  on  the  "little  book,'' 
but  resuming  a  narrative  of  the  sealed  book's  con- 
tents, which  had  been  suspended  at  the  end  of  the 
9th  chapter.  There,  as  we  have  seen,  the  first  and 
second  woe-trumpets  left  the  population  of  the  Ro- 
man church  and  empire  still  in  rebellion: — "They 
repented  not." — Hence  it  is  apparent  that  the  work 
of  these  symbolic  angels  consists  in  opposing  the  an- 
tichristian  systems  of  organized  society  during  the 
period  of  the  fifth  and  sixth  trumpets.  This  they 
do  partly  by  declaring  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  and 
partly  by  denouncing  divine  judgments  on  the  im- 
penitent. The  first  angel,  by  proclaiming  the  "ever- 
lasting gospel,"  called  upon  men  to  "fear  God  and 
give  glory  to  him,"  and  not  to  idols, — threatening 
"coming  judgment."  The  great  majority  of  those 
addressed,  however,  disregarding  alike  his  loving  in- 
structions and  faithful  warnings,  must  hear  from  the 
second  angel  that  the  judgment  threatened  by  his 
predecessor,  is  nowimminent: — "Babylon  is  fallen," 
etc.  Notwithstanding  the  faithful  and  earnest  con- 
tendings  of  the  Waldenses,  Bohemians  and  others  on 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  217 

the  continent  of  Europe,  seconded  by  the  Lollards  in 
England,  so  far  were  the  votaries  of  Antichrist  from 
repenting  of  their  idolatry  and  profligacy,  that  they 
became  more  and  more  exasperated  against  those 
witnesses  who  tormented  them,  and  attempted  to  si- 
lence their  testimony  by  committing  their  leaders  to 
the  flames.  Hence  the  second  angel's  ministry  con- 
sists more  in  denouncing  judgment  than  in  offering 
mercy  to  the  penitenc;  and  the  history  of  the  strug- 
gles in  Europe  and  the  British  Isles  between  Christ's 
witnesses  and  the  Roman  Antichrist  in  the  16th  and 
17th  centuries,  demonstrates  the  awful  fact  that  they, 
with  great  and  w'onderful  unanimity,  judged  the 
church  of  Rome  at  least,  utterly  irreclaimable.  Of 
this  united  judgment  the  Confessions  of  those  re- 
formers are  at  this  day  a  standing  evidence.  But 
chief  among  the  churches  and  nations  of  Christen- 
dom stands  Scotland,  as  well  before  as  after  her  ap- 
pearance, by  her  famous  Commissioners,  in  the  West- 
minster Assembly  of  Divines.  In  her  full  and  free 
Assembly,  and  by  her  national  representatives,  sus- 
tained by  all  their  pious  constituency,  she  uttered 
those  memorable  words, — "We  abhor  and  detest  .  .  . 
chiefly  all  kind  of  Papistry  in  general  and  particular 
heads,  even  as  they  are  damned  [condemned)  and 
confuted  by  the  word  of  God  and  Kirk  of  Scotland.'' 
Perhaps  this  is  the  only  instance  hitherto  within  the 
1 260  years,  where  a  ivhole  cJmrnh  and  nation,  under 
the  awful  sanction  of  a  solemn  oath^  has  pronounced 
a  judicial  sentence  of  condemnation  upon  the  church 
of  Rome.  Thus  with  confidence  did  those^loble  wit- 
nesses pronounce  the  anticipated  doom  of  the  mystic 
Babylon.  But  alas!  may  we  not  adopt  and  apply 
now  (1870,)  the  language  of  the  weeping  prophet? — 
"How  is  she  become  a  widow!  she  that  was  great 


218  NOTES   ON 

among  the   nations,  and   princess    among  the  pro- 


vinces 


I" 


As  declension  among  those  who  had  protested 
against  the  corruptions  of  Antichrist,  under  the  mi- 
nistry of  the  first  angel  of  reform,  together  with  the 
continued  impenitence  of  the  multitude  who  still  won- 
dered after  the  beast,  called  for  the  appearance  of 
the  second  angel  of  revival,  so  the  moral  condition 
of  the  world  called  for  the  work  of  his  successor.  In 
the  mean  time,  living  as  we  now  are,  within  the  pe- 
riod allotted  in  prophecy  and  in  history  to  the  mi- 
nistry of  the  second  angel  of  revival  and  reform, 
it  is  but  too  evident  that  there  is  a  great  and  increas- 
ing decline  among  the  best  reformed  churches. 
Many  of  the  Protestant  ministry,  especially  of  the 
prelatic  order,  are  posting  back  to  Rome;  and  the 
growing  ritualism,  with  its  gaudy  and  splendid  "at- 
tire of  a  harlot,"  which  characterizes  others,  plainly 
indicates  their  tendency  in  the  same  direction.  And 
even  those  other  denominations,  which  are  not  yet 
prepared  to  adopt  that  "blasphemous  hierarchy,'' 
are  visibly  departing  from  the  soundness  in  doctrine 
and  purity  of  gospel  worship  which  constituted  the 
chief  glory  of  the  Second  Reformation.  These  are 
the  baleful  effects  of  the  dragon's  influence  "on  the 
earth,''  (ch.  xii.  13,  15.)  Besides,  nearly  all  eccle- 
siastical bodies  are  yet  in  cordial  alliance  with  the 
beast  of  the  sea;  and  this  alliance  is  the  Antichrist. 
The  Pope  is  now  nearly  divested  of  his  former  civil 
supremacy,  and  in  this  respect  become  less  the  ox- 
press  image  of  the  imperial  beast  of  the  sea,  (ch. 
xiii.  14;)  yet  the  leaven  of  the  Romish  religion  per- 
vades all  the  Christian  community,  so  far  as  allegi- 
ance to  the  beast  or  his  horns  is  either  enjoined  or 
tolerated.     This  usurpation  of  the  royal  prerogatives 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  219 

of  Christ  over  the  churches  and  nations  in  the  east- 
ern hemisphere  by  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  a  si- 
milar usurpation  in  the  western  hemisphere,  whetlier 
by  individual  tiespots  or  by  the  body  politic,  is  the 
great  crime  which  fills  the  measure  of  the  cup  of 
wrath,  to  be  poured  out  of  the  "seven  vials." 
While  such  is  the  moral  condition  of  society  in  all 
lands  favored  with  a  revelation  of  the  will  of  God, — 
visited  with  judgments,  continuing  impenitent  and 
guilt  augmenting,  what  is  to  be  expected  but  hea- 
vier judgments  to  follow? 

9.  And  the  third  angel  followed  them,  saying,  with  a  loud 
voice,  If  any  man  worship  the  beast  and  his  image,  and  re- 
ceive his  mark  in  his  forehead,  or  in  his  hand, 

10.  The  same  shall  drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God, 
which  is  poured  out  without  mixture  into  the  cup  of  his  in- 
dignation; and  he  shall  be  tormented  with  fire  and  brimstone 
in  the  presence  of  the  holy  angels,  and  in  the  presence  of  the 
Lamb: 

11.  And  the  smoke  of  their  torment  ascendeth  up  for  ever 
and  ever;  and  they  have  no  rest  day  nor  night,  who  worship 
the  beast  and  his  image,  and  whosoever  receiveth  the  mark 
of  his  name. 

Vs.  9-11.— '*  And  the  third  angel  followed."  The  two 
preceding  angels  addressed  conununities.  calling  them 
to  repentance  and  reformation.  Indeed,  the  language 
of  the  second  implies  little  or  no  hope  of  their  reco- 
very. This  third  angel,  "following''  up  the  scriptu- 
ral testimony  of  those  who  went  before,  and  assuming 
that  church  and  state, — the  essential  elements  of  the 
antichristian  system,  —  continue  irreclaimable,  ad- 
dresses his  message  to  individuals.  This  angel  is 
the  last  that  the  Lord  Jesus  will  employ  to  awaken 
sinners  that  "are  at  ease  in  Zion."  His  ministry 
is  yet  future,  and  he  will  never  be  succeeded  by  an 
angel  of  mercy  until  mystical  Babylon  is  overthrown. 
The  special,  arduous  and  perilous  work  of  this  angel 
is,  to  threaten  eternal  death  against  every  individual 


220  NOTES   ON 

who  persists  in  the  hitherto  popular  idoLatry.  "  If 
any  man  worship  the  beast." — Up  to  the  time  of  this 
angel's  appearance  the  beast  lives  and  devours  his 
prey;  consequently,  his  work  comes  within  the  period 
of  the  1260  years.  During  this  limited  time,  there 
will  be  found  in  the  Apocalypse  three  objects  of  po- 
pular devotion, — the  dragon,  (ch.  xiii.  4,)  the  heast^ 
and  his  image,  (v.  15.)  In  this  place  the  dragon  is 
omitted,  as  also  in  ch.  xv.  2;  xx.  4.  We  may  ask, 
why  the  omission? — Simply  because  "the  things 
which  the  Gentiles  sacrifice,  they  sacrifice  to  devils, 
and  not  to  God,"  (1  Cor.  x.  20;)  consequently,  these 
worshippers  being  Gentiles,  (ch.  xi.  ^j)  there  is  no 
necessity  that  the  dragon  (the  devil)  should  be  par- 
ticularized. From  the  first  rise  of  the  beast,  he  was 
in  alliance  with  the  dragon,  (ch.  xiii.  2,  3;)  therefore 
both  are  doomed  to  perdition,  (ch.  xx.  10.)  Most 
expositors  consider  this  angel  as  emblematical  of 
events  already  past;  the  reformation  effected  by  Lu- 
ther, his  coadjutors  and  successors,  or  the  church  of 
England  !*  Their  error  consists  in  viewing  the  beast 
as  the  symbol  of  the  church  of  Rome.  And  it  is  re- 
markable, that  through  the  power  of  local  and  poli- 
tical bias,  those  commentators  who  themselves  perceive 
that  the  beast  of  the  sea  in  chapter  xiii.  1,  symbo- 
lizes the  Roman  empire,  lose  sight  of  their  otvn  expo- 
sition when  they  arrive  at  the  place  before  us!  And 
of  this  bias  and  inconsistency  they  seem  to  be  whol- 
ly unconscious!  No,  there  has  never  yet  appeared 
in  the  symbolic  heaven  a  minister  or  ecclesiastical 
organization,  which  has  authoritatively  denounced 
everlasting  punishment  against  all  who  "receive  the 
mark  of  the  beast."  It  is  to  be  noticed  here  that  the 
sins  charged  are  cumulative,  not  distributive.     Guilt 

*  This  is  the  opinion  of  Mr.  Faber. 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  221 

is  contracted  as  here  charged,  by  "worshipping  the 
beast  and  his  image,  and  receiving  his  mark.''  If 
the  beast  signify  immoral  civil  power,  and  his  image 
signify  the  Papacy,  as  we  have  seen  they  do,  then 
it  follows  that  worshipping  both,  and  receiving  the 
mark  of  the  former,  constitute  the  special  guilt  here 
charged  by  the  angel:  that  is,  eulogizing,  praising, 
and  actively  co-operating  with  civil  and  ecclesiastical 
society,  at  war  with  the  Bible — in  organized  hostility 
to  the  Lord  and  his  Anointed.  (Ps.  ii.  9.)  "Shall 
the  throne  of  iniquity  have  fellowship  v^^ith  thee,  which 
frameth  mischief  by  a  law?"  (Ps.  xciv.  20.)  But 
during  the  1260  years,  the  secular  imperial  beast 
consists  of  "kingdoms  of  this  world''  in  alliance  with 
the  beast  of  the  earth,  (ch.  xiii.  1,  11.)  And  as 
both  are  for  their  crimes  consigned  to  utter  destruc- 
tion, so  in  the  time  of  the  "third  angel,"  every  in- 
dividual is  threatened  with  everlasting  punishment, 
who  identifies  with  them.  "No  temporal  judgments 
on  collective  bodies  can  be  the  fulfilment  of  this  awful 
denunciation,  which  evidently  relates  to  individuals, 
and  to  each  individual  who  is  guilty;  and  if  words 
can  convey  the  idea  of  eternal  punishment,  it  is  here 
denounced.''*  The  words  in  the  original,  translated 
*'for  ever  and  ever,''  (v.  11,)  are  the  strongest  in 
the  Greek  language  to  signify  eternity,  and  are  not 
susceptible  of  any  other  meaning. 

As  already  intimated,  the  special  mission  and 
awful  message  of  this  angel  is  yet  future;  but  the 
testimony  of  his  predecessor  will  have  made  the  ty- 
ranny, idolatry,  immorality  and  profligacy  of  civil 
despots  and  mercenary  ministers  so  palpable  and 
glaring,  that  the  vengeance  of  the  Lord  proclaimed 
by  the  last  messenger  will  appear  to  be  just.     In 

*  Scott. 
15 


222  "notes  on 

this  way  the  "two  witnesses  smite  the  earth  with  all 
plagues,''  (ch.  xi.  6;)  for  they  are  identical  with 
the  "third  angel/'  and  have  an  active  agency  in  the 
work  of  judgment  to  be  executed  upon  the  antichris- 
tian  enemies,  (ch.  xv.  7.)  And  "who  knows  the  power 
of  that  wrath  which  is  poured  out  without  mixture 
into  the  cup  of  Jehovah's  indignation?"  In  tempo- 
ral judgments  there  may  be  a  mixture  of  mercy;  but 
there  is  no  such  element  in  the  cup  of  the  impenitent 
votaries  of  mystic  Babylon.  "Holy  angels"  look 
on  without  sympathy  for  her  agonies,  while  the  Lamb 
inflicts  the  tremendous  penalty  of  her  complicated 
and  long-continued  crimes.  '■'He  shall  be  tormented — 
their  torment:'' — individuals  found  guilty  of  compli- 
city with  Babylon,  will  be  bound  up  into  bundles  as 
fuel  for  that  fire  and  brimstone,  whose  "smoke  as- 
cendeth  up  for  ever  and  ever.''  "They  have  no  rest 
day  nor  night  who  worship  the  beast,'' — no  mitigation 
of  their  sufferings.  They  are  doomed  to  dwell  "with 
everlasting  burnings."  (Is.  xxxiii.  14.)  Such  are  the 
denunciations  which  the  "third  angel''  is  commis- 
sioned to  proclaim  in  the  ears  of  men,  either  to  bring 
them  to  repentance,  or  to  justify  the  Lamb  in  punish- 
ing their  impenitent  disobedience.  Now  "every  one 
who  is  acquainted  with  the  writings  of  the  reformers 
and  their  successors,  knows  that  they  generally  de- 
clared, without  hesitation,  that  popery  is  a  damnable 
religion."*  Popery,  however,  is  the  religion  which 
has  corrupted  states  and  churches  throughout  the 
world;  and  therefore  future  reformers  will  not  hesi- 
tate to  join  civil  states  with  her  in  their  testimony 
and  prayers,  saying, — "The  wicked  shall  be  turned 
into  hell,  and  all  the  nations  that  forget  God.  Pour 
out  thy  fury  upon  the  heathen  that  have  not  known 


Scott. 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  223 

thee,  and  upon  the  kingdoms  tliat  have  not  called 
upon  thy  name  ;  for  thej  have  devoured  Jacob  and 
laid  waste  his  dwelling  place."  (Psa.  ix.  17;  Ixxix. 
6,7.) 

12.  Here  is  the  patience  of  the  saints:  here  are  they  that 
keep  the  commandments  of  God,  and  the  faith  of  Jesus. 

13.  And  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying  unto  me, 
Write,  Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord,  from 
henceforth:  Yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from 
their  labours;  and  their  worlds  do  follow  them. 

Vs.  12,  13. — The  faithful  and  pointed  testimony 
of  the  "third  aiigel"  of  reform  against  the  organized 
enemies  of  God  in  church  and  state,  instead  of  pro- 
ducing repentance,  tends  only  to  provoke  them  to 
greater  rage  against  those  who  thus  awaken  their 
consciences  and  disturb  their  sinful  repose.  The 
fires  of  persecution  are  again  kindled,  and  the  wit- 
nesses are  subjected  to  the  anathemas  of  the  church 
and  the  sword  of  the  civil  magistrate, — the  cruelty 
of  the  two  beasts.  It  is  therefore  added, — "Here  is 
the  patience  of  the  saints."  The  events  predicted 
here  agree  in  time  with  ch.  xiii.  10;  and  the  sub- 
jects of  persecution  are  the  same  moral  person  in 
their  legitimate  successors  who  appeared  in  ch.  xii. 
17.  They  "keep  the  commandments  of  God  and 
the  faith  of  Jesus,"  while  the  multitude  "obey  un- 
righteousness, receiving  for  doctrines  the  command- 
ments of  men." 

To  animate  these  sufferers  who  are  in  "jeopardy 
every  hour"  and  who  have  the  sentence  of  death  as 
outlaws,  pronounced  against  them  by  Antichrist, 
John  "heard  a  voice  from  heaven,"  directing  him 
to  write, — "Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the 
Lord,  from  henceforth.'' — To  "die  in  the  Lord," — 
means,  in  the  faith  and  hope  of  the  gospel,  relieved 
by  the  "witness  of  the  Spirit"  from  the  overwhelm- 
ing fears  of  the  pains  of  purgalo?-?/.     Both  negatively 


224  NOTES    ON 

and  positively,  this  angel  testifies  against  the  anti- 
christian  dogma  of  purgatory.  He  declares  that  the 
torments  of  the  wicked  continue  "for  ever  and  ever,'' 
■while  the  righteous  who  die  in  the  Lord,  "cease  from 
their  labours.'' — No  stronger  testimony  can  be  con- 
ceived against  the  more  gross  papal  heresy,  or  the 
more  modern  and  so  called  philosophical  delusions 
of  Universalists,  Socinians  and  others, — all  of  whom 
are  the  offspring  of  the  "mother  of  harlots."  But 
besides  the  voice  from  heaven,  and  the  concurrent 
witness  of  the  Spirit,  against  the  papal  dogma  of 
purgatory,  the  *'rest"  here  proclaimed  for  the  com- 
fort of  martyred  saints,  may  be  also  understood  as  a 
termination  to  their  sharp  conflicts  with  Antichrist. 
'^Henceforth  they  rest  from  their  labours," — they 
shall  never  again  be  called  to  "resist  unto  blood, 
striving  against  sin,"  as  heretofore,  by  the  combined 
opposition  of  the  "beast  and  false  prophet,''  orga- 
nized tyranny  and  idolatry.  The  ministry  of  the 
"third  angel,''  cotemporary  with  the  "seventh  trum- 
pet,"— the  third  and  last  "woe,"  prepares  society 
throughout  Christendom  for  entering  into  the  millen- 
nial rest. 

14.  And  I  looked,  and,  behold,  a  white  cloud,  and  upon 
the  cloud  one  sat  like  unto  the  Son  of  Man,  having  on  his 
head  a  golden  crown,  and  in  his  hand  a  sharp  sickle. 

15.  And  another  came  out  of  the  temple,  crying  with  a 
loud  voice  to  him  that  sat  on  the  cloud,  Tiirust  in  thy  sickle, 
and  reap;  for  the  time  is  come  for  thee  to  reap:  for  the  har- 
vest of  the  earth  is  ripe. 

16.  And  he  that  sat  on  the  cloud  thrust  in  his  sickle  on  the 
earth;  and  the  earth  was  reaped. 

Vs.  14-16.— The  gathering  in  of  the  harvest  is 
sometimes  emblematical  of  mercy,  —  as  when  the 
believer  is  gathered  to  his  fathers  by  death.  His 
sanctification  being  completed,  he  is  taken  home  "as 
a  shock  of  corn  ripe  in  his  season."     Reaping  and 


THE  APOCALYPSE.  225 

threshing,  however,  are  most  frequently  symbolical  of 
divine  judgments,  (Jer.  li.  33;)  and  the  apostle  re- 
fers here  to  the  same  event  which  the  Lord  foretold 
by  the  mouth  of  other  prophets.  (Joel  iii.  13-17 ; 
Micah  iv.  12,  13.)  This  harvest  is  emblematical  of 
divine  judgment  on  the  nations  of  apostate  Chris- 
tendom. He  who  executes  the  judgment  is  one  like 
the  Son  of  man,  the  Lord  Christ.  Enthroned  on  a 
*' white  cloud"  as  his  chariot,  and  having  on  his  royal 
"head  a  golden  crown,"  the  symbol  of  sovereignty, 
at  the  solicitation,  the  loud  cry  of  the  symbolic  an- 
gel,— a  gospel  ministry,  he  "thrusts  in  his  "sharp 
sickle,"  the  emblem  of  avenging  justice,  and  with  in- 
finite ease,  "the  earth  is  reaped."  This  work  of  pu- 
nishing guilty  nations  is  not  so  proper  to  the  ministry, 
the  functions  of  whose  office  are  of  a  spiritual  na- 
ture; yet  are  they  active  in  a  way  conpetent  to  them, 
calling  upon  the  "Lord  of  the  harvest"  to  reap. 
They  judge  of  the  signs  of  the  times.  Such  is  part 
of  their  appropriate  work.  Thus  they  say, — "The 
time  is  come  for  thee  to  reap ;  for  the  harvest  of  the 
earth  is  ripe.''  The  Lord  Jesus  appeared  in  royal 
majesty  to  John,  as  he  had  appeared  to  Ezekiel,  (ch. 
i.  26;)  and  to  Daniel,  (ch.  vii.  13.)  The  cloud  on 
which  he  sat  had  a  bright  side  towards  his  saints, 
but  to  his  enemies  a  dark  side,  as  at  the  Red  Sea. 
(Ex.  xiv.  19,  20.) 

The  two  judgments  of  the  harvest  and  vintage, 
are  obviously  an  allusion  to  a  natural  order  in  the 
climate  of  Judea.  Not  only  did  the  barley  and 
wheat-harvest  precede  the  time  of  gathering  grapes, 
but  some  space  elapsed  between  these  labors  of  the 
husbandman.     The  usual  order  is  observed  here. 

17.  And  another  angel  came  out  of  the  temple  which  is  in 
heaven,  he  also  having  a  sharp  sickle. 

18.  And  another  angel  came  out  from  the  altar,  which  had 


226  NOTES    ON 

power  over  fire;  and  cried  with  a  loud  cry  to  lilm  that  had 
the  sharp  sickle,  saying,  Thrust  in  thy  sharp  sickle,  and  ga- 
ther tlie  clusters  of  the  vine  of  the  earth;  for  her  grapes  are 
fully  ripe. 

19.  And  the  angel  thrust  in  his  sickle  into  the  earth,  and 
gathered  the  vine  of  the  earth,  and  cast  it  into  the  great 
wine-press  of  the  wrath  of  God. 

20.  And  the  wine  press  was  trodden  without  the  city,  and 
blood  came  out  of  the  wine-press  even  unto  the  horse-bridles, 
by  the  space  of  a  thousand  and  six  hundred  furlongs. 

Vs.  17-20.— As  the  ministry  of  the  'Hhird  an^o^el," 
(v.  9.)  was  final,  as  to  pronouncing  the  deserved 
doom  of  all  the  adherents  of  the  antichristian  system, 
so  in  the  symbols  of  the  harvest  and  vintage^  we 
have  the  execution  of  that  sentence  exhibited.  The 
nations  of  Christendom,  having  drunk  the  wine  of 
the  mother  of  harlots,  and  of  her  daughters  too,  and 
having  exhausted  the  patience  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  re- 
fusing to  repent,  while  he  warned  them  by  his  ser- 
vants the  three  angels  of  reform, — ''rising  early  and 
sending  them,"  were  at  length  "ripe''  for  his  sharp 
sickle.  Long  had  he  expostulated  with  them,  saying 
to  them,  while  addressing  his  church, — "The  nation 
and  kingdom  that  will  not  serve  thee  (0  Zion,)  shall 
perish;  yea,  those  nations  shall  be  utterly  wasted.'' 
(Isa.  Ix.  12.) — The  desolating  judgments  of  the  reign- 
ing Mediator,  having  brought  those  nations  to  *'hate 
the  whore,"  they  become  the  willing  and  zealous 
agents  of  her  destruction,  as  appears,  (ch.  xvii.  16.) 

The  "gathering  of  the  clusters  of  the  vine  of  the 
earth," — is  a  concise  emblematical  representation  of 
that  tremendous  work  of  punishing  the  apostate 
church,  to  be  exhibited  in  greater  detail  in  the  fol- 
lowing chapters. 

The  "angel  coming  out  of  the  temple," — repre- 
sents the  gospel  ministry  as  usual.  His  "having  a 
sharp  sickle  "  may  import  his  more  immediate  agency 
n  this  than  in  the  preceding  work  of  the  harvest." 


THE  APOCALYPSE.  227 

Christ  himself  judged  the  nations, — had  the  ''sharp 
sickle;"  but  in  reckoninjy  with  impenitent  ecclesias- 
tical communities,  he  will  honor  his  faithful  servants. 
As  in  "measuring  the  temple,'' — the  Mediator  held 
the  instrument  in  his  own  hand  under  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, (Zech.  ii.  1,)  but  under  the  New  Testament 
gave  it  into  the  hand  of  John,  the  representative  of 
a  gospel  ministry,  (ch.  xi.  1,)  so  that  transaction 
may  illustrate  the  symbols  here. 

The  other  angel  '*  coming  from  the  altar,  who  had 
power  over  fire,"  is  also  symbolical  of  the  ministry. 
The  sickle  in  the  hand  of  the  former  angel,  is  for 
gathering  the  grapes;  while  the  connexion  of  the 
latter  angel  with  the  "altar,"  imports  that  a  sacri- 
fice is  about  to  be  offered,  as  customary,  to  appease 
divine  justice. — The  "vine  of  the  eartli''  is  plainly 
contrasted  with  the  true  vine.  (Ps.  Ixxx.  1 ;  Jer.  ii. 
21.)  This  is  a  vine  of  Sodom  with  clusters  of  Go- 
morrah, (ch.  xi.  8;  Deut.  xxxii.  32,  33.)  It  is  the 
symbol  of  an  apostate  church,  the  chief  heresy  of 
which  is  a  practical  rejection  of  the  atonement  of 
Christ;  for  it  is  certain  that  vindictive  justice  is  an 
attribute  of  God,  and  that  he  will  demand  satisfac- 
tion from  those  impenitent  sinners  who  despise  his 
mercy  in  the  gospel  offer,  and  "tread  under  foot  the 
blood  of  the  covenant  wherewith  Christ  was  sancti- 
fied.'' (Heb.  X.  29.)  A  heavier  doom  awaits  all  such 
than  to  "die  without  mercy,"  which  was  the  penalty 
for  those  who  "despised  Moses'  law."  No  sacrifice 
is  appointed  for  the  man  or  the  church  that  sins  pre- 
sumptuously. (Num.  XV.  30,  31.)  To  all  such,  ''our 
God  is  a  consuming  fire.''  (Heb.  xii.  29.) — The  one 
angel  calls  upon  the  other, — encourages  his  compa- 
nion, to  execute  the  judgment  of  God.  "Thrust  in 
thy  sharp  sickle." — Under  the  superintendence  of 
the  Mediator,  his  servants  by  their  prayers  and  their 


228  NOTES   ON 

sermons  have  an  active  part  in  this  work  of  judg- 
ment. From  the  mouth  of  the  witnesses  proceeded 
fire  to  devour  their  enemies,  (ch.  xi.  5.)  This  is 
the  last  work  of  judgment  in  which  they  will  be 
honoured.  Joining  their  victorious  predecessors  who 
overcame  the  antichristian  combinations  "  by  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb  and  the  word  of  their  testimony," 
(chs.  vi.  9,  10;  xii.  11,)  these  undaunted  servants 
of  the  Lord  are  honored  by  him  as  instrumental  in 
the  infliction  of  the  final  judgments  symbolized  by 
the  seventh  trumpet  and  the  seventh  vial, — the  third 
and  last  woe. — The  "wine-press''  is  the  symbol  of 
the  '* wrath  of  God,"  and  its  location  "without  the 
city,''  denotes  that  the  churches  of  the  apostacy  are 
excommunicated, — "reprobate  silver,  because  the 
Lord  hath  rejected  them." 

We  are  not  told  here  by  whom  the  grapes  are 
trodden;  but  this  is  the  work  of  the  Lord  Jesus  him- 
self, "who  in  the  days  of  his  flesh  on  earth  forewarned 
his  impenitent  foes  that  he  would  thus  deal  with 
them  in  his  wrath.  "Those  mine  enemies,  which 
would  not  that  I  should  reign  over  them,  bring  hi- 
ther, and  slay  them  before  me."  (Luke  xix.  27;  Isa. 
Ixiii.  8;  Rev.  xix.  15.) — The  blood  in  depth  is  to 
the  "horse-bridles,''  and  in  extent  "a  thousand  and 
six  hundred  furlongs,'' — 200  miles!  Although  this 
language  is  hyperbolical,  it  is  intended  to  signify  "a 
time  of  trouble,  such  as  never  was  since  there  was 
a  nation  even  to  that  same  time ;  and  at  that  same 
time  God's  "people  shall  be  delivered,  every  one  that 
shall  be  found  written  in  the  book."  (Dan.  xii.  1; 
Rev.  xiii.  8.) — Thus  it  appears  that  church  and  state, 
having  combined  in  the  antichristian  apostacy,  are 
severally  visited  with  the  unmingled  wine  of  the 
wrath  of  God.  All  the  saints  shall  have  obeyed  the 
call, — "Come  out  of  her,  my  people;"  and  mystic 


THE  APOCALYPSE.  229 

Babylon  shall  then  be  utterly  destroyed.  Whether 
Palestjine,  the  Pope's  patrimony,  or  some  other  terri- 
tory be  understood  by  the  "  1600  furlongs,''  is  mat- 
ter of  vague  conjecture  by  all  expositors,  and  is  to 
be  verified  only  by  the  fulfilment  of  the  prediction. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

This  chapter  introduces  the  third  and  last  series 
of  symbols  under  which  the  prospective  history  of 
the  church  militant  is  given,  to  strengthen  the  faith 
and  animate  the  hopes  of  her  suffering  and  heroic 
children.  The  warfare  of  the  witnesses  for  the 
crown  rights  of  Immanuel,  which  have  been  usurped 
by  his  enemies,  has  been  symbolized  under  the  seals, 
(chs.  vi.-ix.,)  and  under  the  trumpets,  (chs.  xi.  xii.;) 
and  the  symbolic  narrative  is  yet  under  the  vials  to  be 
greatly  amplified,  especially  their  last  and  greatest 
conflict,  briefly  represented  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
preceding  chapter,  (vs.  9-18.)  Whether  or  not  the 
vials,  to  which  this  fifteenth  chapter  is  introductory, 
be  all  comprehended  under  the  seventh  trumpet,  as 
the  trumpets  are  all  comprehended  under  the  seventh 
seal,  is  a  question  upon  which  respectable  expositors 
differ.  It  is  indeed  obvious  that  the  breaking  of  the 
last  seal,  lays  open  the  whole  of  the  book,  conse- 
quently the  angels  holding  the  vials  would  come  into 
view.  John,  however,  is  obliged  to  "write'' cow se- 
cutively  some  visions  which  he  saw  as  it  were  at  one 
view.  Thus  he  was  "about  to  write  what  the  seven 
thunders  uttered,''  (ch.  x.  4,)  but  was  prohibited. 
That  was  not  the  proper  time  or  place;  but  it  is 
there  intimated,  (v.  7,)  that  "in  the  days  of  the  voice 
of  the  seventh  angel,''  the  import   of  the  "seveu 


230  -  NOTES    ON  ' 

thunders''  would  be  disclosed.  Then  would  the 
''mystery  of  God  be  finished,  as  he  had  declared  to 
his  servants  the  prophets."  (Joel  iii.  2,  12,  13; 
Micah  iv.  3;  Zech.  xii.  2-4;  2  Thess.  ii.  8.)  Some 
of  the  most  learned  and  sober  divines,  who  wrote  on 
the  Apocalypse  during  the  peninsular  war  waged  by 
the  first  Napolean,  contemplating  the  anarchical 
and  bloody  scenes  of  the  French  Revolution,  and  the 
subsequent  tyranny  and  blood  connected  with  the 
successful  wars  of  the  Gallic  usurper,  thought  they 
heard  in  the  commotions  of  European  nations  the 
sound  of  the  seventh  trumpet,  and  saw  the  plagues 
inflicted  as  symbolized  by  the  vials.  And  thus  it  is 
that  local  events,  which  excite  the  political  feelings, 
the  prejudices  and  partialities  of  even  good  men,  are 
hastily  interpreted  as  a  fulfilment  of  prophecy.  It 
does  not  appear,  however,  that  those  events  were 
either  of  sufficient  magnitude  or  geographical  extent 
to  answer  the  tremendous  symbols  of  either  harvest 
or  vintage.  Did  the  French  revolution,  the  Ameri- 
can revolution,  or  the  wars  of  Napolean  First,  influ- 
ence the  civilized  world  or  affect  the  church  of  God, 
as  Popery  and  Mahometanism  have  done.''  No,  the 
comparison  is  preposterous.  Hence  it  is  most  pro- 
bable that  Christendom  has  not  yet  heard  the  alarm- 
ing sound  of  the  seventh  trumpet. 

1.  And  I  saw  another  sign  in  heaven,  great  and  marvel- 
lous, seven  angels  having  the  seven  last  plagues;  for  in  them 
is  filled  up  the  wrath  of  God. 

V.  1. — ''Another  sign  in  heaven." — All  the  vi- 
sions were  seen  by  the  apostle  in  the  same  place, 
(ch.  i.  1;  xii.  1.)  The  word  translated  "sign"  here 
is  the  same  as  "wonder"  in  the  twelfth  chapter, 
which  for  greater  clearness  to  the  English  reader 
ought  to  have  been  rendered  by  the  same  word.-^ 
The  symbol  or  sign  consists  of  '*  seven  angels  having 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  231 

the  seven  last  plagues,'' — the  last  to  be  inflicted  on 
the  Antichrist,  but  not  absolutely  the  last  penal  in- 
flictions on  the  enemies  of  God;  for  "Gog  and  Ma- 
gog" are  in  like  manner  to  be  destroyed,  and  there 
is  eternal  wrath. 

Upon  the  "Lamb's  taking  the  book,"  and  before 
he  had  opened  the  first  seal,  songs  of  joy  burst  forth 
irom  saints  and  angels,  (ch.  v.  8,  9.)  So  it  is  here. 
Before  the  angels  proceed  to  execute  their  commis- 
sion, the  redeemed  of  the  Lord,  anticipating  the  ef- 
fects of  these  judgments,   give  expression  to  their 

joy- 

2.  And  I  saw  as  it  were  a  sea  of  glass  mingled  with  fire; 
and  them  that  had  gotten  the  victory  over  tlie  beast,  and  over 
his  image,  and  over  his  mark,  and  over  the  number  of  his 
name,  stand  on  the  sea  of  glass,  having  the  harps  of  God. 

3.  And  they  sing  the  song  of  Moses  the  servant  of  God, 
and  the  song  of  the  Lamb,  saying.  Great  and  marvellous  are  thy 
works,  Lord  God  Almighty,  just  and  true  are  thy  ways,  thou 
King  of  saints! 

4.  Who  shall  not  fear  thee,  O  Lord,  and  glorify  thy  name? 
for  thou  only  art  holy:  for  all  nations  shall  come  and  wor- 
ship before  thee;  for  thy  judgments  are  made  manifest. 

Vs.  2-4.— The  "sea  of  glass,"  or  transparent  sea, 
(as  in  ch.  iv.  6,)  refers  us  to  the  brazen  sea  before 
the  throne  of  God  in  the  temple.  In  this  sea  the 
priests  were  to  wash  themselves,  (Exod.  xxx.  18,  19,) 
and  in  water  drawn  from  it  the  sacrifices  were  to  be 
washed  also.  (Lev.  i.  9,  13.) 

As  the  brazen  sea  typified  the  blood  of  Christ, 
that  "fountain  opened  for  sin  and  for  uncleann-css,'' 
(Zech.  xiii.  1,)  so  this  "sea  of  glass''  is  the  symbol 
of  the  same  thing;  for  the  Lord  washes  away  the 
filth  of  the  daughters  of  Zion,  and  purges  the  blood 
of  Jerusalem  from  the  midst  thereof  by  the  spirit  of 
judgment,  and  by  the  spirit  of  burning.  (Isa.  iv.  4.) 
This  happy  company  were  victorious  by  the  blood  of 
the   Lamb,  "over  the  beast,  his  image,  his  name 


232  NOTES   ON 

and  number;"  having  clean  escaped  from  them  who 
live  in  error,  both  in  civil  and  ecclesiastical  relations. 
Holding  the  eucharistic  "harps  of  God,"  they  are 
the  same  company  as  those  on  Mount  Zion  with  the 
Lamb,  (ch.  xiv.  1,  2.)  There,  their  song  was  called 
new;  here  it  is  more  fully  described.  There  it  was 
said,  "  no  man  could  learn  that  song''  but  themselves, 
here  we  have  the  matter  of  the  song  epitomised.  It 
is  constructed  of  two  parts,  "the  song  of  Moses  and 
the  song  of  the  Lamb."  As  the  children  of  Israel 
at  the  Red  Sea  celebrated  the  praises  of  God's  jus- 
tice in  the  overthrow  of  their  enemies  the  Egyptians, 
so  do  these  with  united  voice  express  their  admira- 
tion and  praise  in  anticipation  of  the  final  and  awful 
end  of  these  cruel,  idolatrous  and  persecuting  mysti- 
cal Egyptians,  (ch.  xi.  8,)  "saying.  Great  and  mar- 
vellous are  thy  works,  Lord  God  Almighty;  just  and 
true  are  thy  ways,  thou  King  of  saints."  They  do 
also  declare  their  faith  in  the  universal  dominion  of 
their  King;  that  "all  nations  shall  come  and  wor- 
ship before  him.''  And  to  this  day  none  but  the 
witnesses  are  prepared  either  with  intelligence  or  af- 
fection to  "learn''  or  use  this  song.  We  have  the 
subject  matter  of  both  parts  of  this  triumphant  song, 
framed  by  the  Holy  Spirit  and  incorporated  in  the 
Book  of  Psalms,  (as  Ps.  ii.  8;  xviii.  37-45;  xlv.  3-6; 
ex.  1,  etc.)  The  fortunes  of  God's  covenant  people 
till  the  ingathering  of  the  Jews,  with  the  fulness  of 
the  Gentiles,  may  be  found  in  Moses'  song,  (Deut. 
xxxii.  1-43,)  and  the  "song  of  the  Lamb"  is  found 
in  chapter  v.  9-13. 

5.  And  after  that  I  looked,  and  behold,  the  temple  of  the 
tabernacle  of  the  testimony  in  heaven  was  opened: 

6.  And  the  seven  angels  came  out  of  the  temple,  having 
the  seven  plagues,  clothed  in  pure  and  white  linen,  and  having 
their  breasts  girded  with  golden  girdles. 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  233 

Vs.  5,  6. — John  looked  again,  and  saw  the  'Uem- 
ple  opened,''  that  the  seven  angels  might  have  egress 
to  enter  upon  their  heavenly  mission.  Their  clothing 
resembled  the  garments  of  the  priests  under  the  law, 
"white  linen  and  golden  girdles,"  representing  the 
holiness  or  moral  purity  of  their  work.  They  shed 
the  blood  of  the  victim,  so  to  speak,  without  soiling 
their  garments ;  but  the  Lord  Jesus,  whose  Avork  of 
judgment  this  is,  "stains  all  his  raiment,"  (Isa.  Ixiii. 
3,)  "for  the  day  of  vengeance  is  in  his  heart,''  (v.  4.) 

7.  And  one  of  the  four  beasts  gave  unto  the  seven  angels 
seven  golden  yials  full  of  the  wrath  of  God,  who  liveth  for 
ever  and  ever. 

y.  7. — "One  of  the  four  beasts,'' — animals^  the 
symbol  of  the  gospel  ministry,  as  we  found,  (ch.  iv. 
6.)  Not  all  the  ministry  were  employed  in  this  ac- 
tion, but  one  only.  That  is,  some  few,  a  fractional 
part,  possessing  more  insight  into  the  "sure  word  of 
prophecy,"  and  endowed  with  larger  measure  of  he- 
roic spirit  by  the  Lord  Jesus,  co-operated  with  holy 
angels  in  this  work  of  judgment.  "  He  gave  the  vials 
into  the  hand  of  the  angels.''  By  their  preaching, 
their  prayers  and  their  example,  faithful  ministers, 
unsednced  by  the  blandishments  of  corrupt  power, 
and  undismayed  by  the  bloody  edicts  of  the  beast, — 
"in  nothing  terrified  by  their  adversaries,"  denounce 
the  judgments  represented  by  these  vials,  upon  the 
impenitent  enemies  of  the  Lord  and  his  Anointed. 
For  an  illustration  of  this  symbolic  action  of  giving 
the  vials  of  divine  wrath  to  the  appointed  agents,  re- 
ference may  be  had  to  Jer.  xxv.  15-26;  li.  7. 

8.  And  the  temple  was  filled  with  smoke  from  the  glory 
of  God,  and  from  his  power,  and  no  man  was  able  to  enter 
into  the  temple,  till  the  seven  plagues  of  the  seven  angels 
were  fulfilled. 

Vs.  8. — "The  temple  filled  with  smoke,"   repre- 


234  NOTES    ON 

sents  the  darkness  of  these  dispensations,  the  horror 
and  dismay  which  seizes  upon  the  votaries  of  Anti- 
christ. But  during  the  time  of  executing  these  judg- 
ments, the  progress  of  the  gospel  will  be  retarded, — 
"no  man  being  able  to  enter  into  the  temple.''  It 
is  intimated,  moreover,  that  these  judgments  will,  as 
it  were,  clear  awaj  the  *' smoke,"  and  render  the 
temple  once  more  luminous.  So  we  may  conclude 
by  comparing  the  4th  and  8th  verses.  In  the  4th 
verse  the  witnesses  declare  their  faith  thus, — "All 
nations  shall  come  and  worship  before  thee.''  But 
this  is  a  description  of  the  millennial  state  of  the 
world.  (Ps.  Ixxii.  11.) 


CHAPTER  XYI. 

All  preliminaries  being  now  arranged,  the  seven 
angels  receive  their  commission  by  a  *' great  voice 
out  of  the  temple."  It  is  the  "voice  of  the  Lord, 
full  of  majesty."  (Ps.  xxix.  4.) — As  the  seah  and 
trumpets  were  not  coincident,  but  successive,  so  it  is 
doubtless  with  the  vials.  No  two  begin  to  be  poured 
out  at  the  same  time.  One  follows  another  in  order- 
ly succession. 

Several  questions  of  difficult  solution,  arise  in  the 
minds  of  devout  and  humble  students  of  the  Apoca- 
lypse, respecting  the  series  of  the  vials.  Are  the 
vials  cotemporary  with  the  trumpets.^  Seeing  that 
the  seventh  seal  included  all  the  trumpets,  does  ana- 
logy require  that  all  the  vials  be  comprehended  under 
the  seventh  or  last  trumpet?  Or,  do  the  seven  vials 
come  under  the  last  three  trumpets,  distinguished 
as  they  are  by  the  character  of  woe- trumpets?  (ch. 
viii.  18.)     Other  questions  may  here  be  propounded; 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  235 

but  tliesG  seem  to  be  the  most  obvious  and  Important, 
in  fixing  the  time  of  the  events  predicted. 

The  breaking  of  the  seventh  seal  unquestionably 
laid  open  the  whole  of  the  book,  including  all  the 
trumpets  and  vials, — all  future  events  till  the  end  of 
the  world ;  but  it  does  not  follow,  for  instance,  that  the 
awful  scene  of  the  final  judgment  is  to  be  cotempo- 
rary  with  any  of  the  trumpets,  (ch.  xx.  11,  12.) 
The  seventh  seal,  therefore,  discloses  important 
events,  which  are  to  comiO  to  pass  subsequently  to  both 
trumpets  and  vials.  The  fact  that  both  trumpets 
and  viais  are  disclosed  by  the  opening  of  the  last 
seal,  admits  of  their  being  cotemporaneous.  P^rom 
the  striking  resemblance  between  the  effects  of  the 
trumpets  and  those  of  the  vials,  (ch.  viii.  7-12;  xvi. 
2-12,)  they  might  seem  to  be  cotemporary.  This, 
however,  is  not  the  case,  for  the  objects  of  the  judg- 
ments are  different,  that  of  the  trumpets  being  more 
formally  the  civil  empire,  while  that  of  the  vials  is 
the  ecclesiastical  empire;  each,  however,  greatly  af- 
fecting the  other,  because  of  their  unholy  union 
against  the  cause  of  Christ.  Perhaps  it  may  be  most 
consonant  to  the  mind  of  the  Spirit  to  view  the  vials 
as  agreeing  in  time  with  the  three  \voe-trum.pets. 
Keeping  in  view  the  definite  period  of  Antichrist's 
domination  in  church  and  state,  1260  years,  and  the 
probability  of  its  drawing  to  a  close,  the  remaining 
part  would  seem  too  short  for  the  period  of  the  vials. 
As  the  series  of  the  vials,  like  those  which  in  vision 
preceded  them,  is  successive,  the  application  of  them 
all  to  the  French  Revolution  is  simply  preposterous.* 
That  event  answered  not  to  the  symbol  either  in  ex- 
tent or  duration.  Nor  indeed  is  there  satisfactory 
eviilence  in  the  actual   condition    of   the   Christian 

*  So  Mr.  Faber  imnfrined. 


236  NOTES   ON 

world,  notwithstanding  the  fond  imagination  of 
learned  and  good  men,  that  the  voice  of  the  seventh 
angel  has  yet  been  heard  by  Christendom. 

1.  And  I  heard  a  great  voice  out  of  the  temple,  saying  to 
the  seven  angels,  Go  your  ways,  aud  pour  out  the  vials  of 
the  wrath  of  God  upon  the  earth. 

V.  1. — "Earth''  has  here  the  usual  meaning, — 
the  whole  territory  and  population  of  the  Roman 
empire,  those  only  and  always  exempted,  who  are 
true  to  the  cause  of  Immanuel.  The  angels  of  de- 
struction cannot  hurt  those  who  are  under  the  pro- 
tection of  his  blood.  (Exod.  xii.  23.)  They  may  not 
"come  near  any  man  upon  whom  is  the  mark.'' 
(Ezek.  ix.  6;  Kev.  xiv.  1.) 

2.  And  the  first  went,  and  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the 
earth;  and  there  fell  a  noisome  and  grievous  sore  upon  the 
men  which  had  the  mark  of  the  beast,  and  upon  them  wliich 
worshipped  his  image. 

3.  And  the  second  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  sea; 
and  it  became  as  the  blood  of  a  dead  man:  and  every  living 
soul  died  in  the  sea. 

4.  And  the  third  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  rivers 
and  fountains  of  waters;  and  they  became  blood. 

5.  And  I  heard  the  angel  of  the  waters  say.  Thou  art  right- 
eous, O  Lord,  which  art,  and  wast,  and  shalt  be,  because 
thou  hast  judged  thus: 

6.  For  they  have  shed  the  blood  of  saints  and  prophets, 
and  thou  hast  given  them  blood  to  drink;  for  they  are  wor- 
thy. 

7.  And  I  heard  another  out  of  altar  say,  Even  so,  Lord 
God  Almighty,  true  and  righteous  are  thy  judgments. 

Vs.  2-7. — "And  the  first  went.'' — However  disa- 
greeable the  service,  as  we  are  ready  to  suppose,  this 
holy  agent  at  once  obeys  the  divine  command.  The 
best  of  men  hesitate  and  remonstrate  when  called  to 
difficult  and  disagreeable  work.  So  it  was  with  Mo- 
ses, and  with  Jeremiah.  (Exod.  iv.  10  j  Jer.  i.  6.) 
But  all  these  heavenly  messengers  in  succession,  ex- 
ecute their  respective  tasks  without  gainsaying.     It 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  237 

is  the  will  of  our  common  Lord  that  his  disciples 
should  emulate  their  example,  that  they  should  "  know, 
obey  and  submit  to  his  will  in  all  things  as  the  angels 
do  in  heaven."  (Ps.  ciii.  20,  21.) — The  judgments 
upon  the  antichristian  enemies  which  have  been 
briefly  represented  in  the  close  of  the  14tli  chapter 
by  a  harvest  and  vintage^  are  in  this  chapter  more 
extensively  exhibited  by  the  seven  vials.  A  resem- 
blance to  the  first  four  trumpets  may  be  observed  in 
the  effects  of  the  first  four  vials,  and  besides,  these 
plagues  resemble  those  inflicted  on  Egypt.  If  by 
her  crimes,  especially  by  idolatry  and  cruelty  to  the 
people  of  God  papal  Rome  has  copied  the  manners 
of  Egypt  and  Babylon,  it  is  but  just  that  she  should 
be  visited  with  like  punishment. — The  first  vial  se- 
lects as  victims  those  who  *'had  the  mark  of  the 
beast  and  worshipped  his  image;''  and  this  is  true 
of  the  succeeding  plagues,  although  the  fact  be  not 
repeated.  The  object  of  this  vial  is  the  "earth"  in 
a  more  restricted  sense  than  in  the  first  verse.  The 
*' earth"  in  the  first  verse  comprises  all  the  parts  of 
a  system,  "earth,  sea,  fountains,  sun  and  air,''  men- 
tioned in  the  following  verses. — The  "  noisome  and 
grievous  sore,''  refers  to  one  of  the  plagues  of  Egypt. 
(Exod.  ix.  9-11.)  The  earth  was  the  object  affected 
also  by  the  first  trumpet;  (ch.  viii.  7;)  but  as  Anti- 
christ had  not  then  arisen,  this  plague  cannot  agree  in 
time  with  the  first  trumpet,  though  it  might  with  the 
fifth  or  sixth  trumpet;  for  while  these  trumpets  were 
demolishing  the  eastern  member  of  the  Roman  empire, 
making  way  for  the  development  of  Mahomet's  im- 
posture, the  "little  horn"  of  Daniel,  and  Paul's 
*' man  of  sin,"  was  revealed  in  the  west.  But  the 
*'two  witnesses"  were  coincident  in  origin  with  An- 
tichrist, and  were  empowered  by  the  Lord  Christ  "to 
smite  the  earth  with  all  plagues  as  often  as  they 
16 


238  NOTES   ON 

would,"  (cli.  xi.  6.)  The  "grievous  sore"  is  to  be 
understood  metaphorically,  not  literally;  for  so  the 
construction  of  the  Apocalypse  requires.  It  may  im- 
port the  festering  of  unmortified  corruption  among 
the  votaries  of  Antichrist,  intensified  by  the  faithful 
application  of  the  divine  law  by  the  witnesses. — The 
object  of  the  second  vial  is  the  "sea,''  the  same  as 
that  of  the  second  trumpet,  (ch.  viii.  8,  9.)  The  al- 
lusion is  to  Exod.  vii.  20,  21.  Intestine  commotions, 
with  war,  blood  and  death,  seem  to  be. symbolized. 
The  horns  of  the  beast  were  often  turned  against  one 
another;  for  the  bestial  kingdom  was  ''partly  bro- 
ken.'' The  toes  in  Nebuchadnezzar's  image  did  not 
"cleave  one  to  another.''  (Dan.  ii.  42,  43.) — The 
object  of  the  third  vial  is  the  "rivers  and  fountains 
of  waters,"  (ch.  viii.  10;  Exodus  vii.  19.)  These 
symbols  may  signify  the  several  kingdoms  of  the 
empire,  tributary  by  their  wealth  and  traffic  to  the 
great  city.  And  as  the  witnesses  continued  to  pro- 
phesy, giving  increased  point  and  publicity  to  their 
testimony,  and  as  the  Turks  were  making  encroach- 
ments upon  the  territories  of  nominal  Christian  princes 
in  the  west,  extensive  wars  and  great  slaughter  were 
the  results.  These  awful  judgments  are  followed  by 
the  plaudits  of  two  angels.  The  eternal  Jehovah  is 
recognized  as  the  Author  of  these  judgments.  The 
Mediator  may  here  be  understood,  (ch.  i.  8;)  John 
V.  22,  27.)  The  "angel  of  the  waters''  may  be 
the  same  who  poured  out  the  vial.  He  gives  to  the 
Lord  the  glory  of  his  justice: — "Thou  art  righteous.'' 
He  also  approves  the  "law  of  retaliation:'' — "For 
they  are  worthy.''  The  other  angel  "out  of  the  al- 
tar'' speaks  on  behalf  of  the  martj^rs,  {ch.  vi.  9,  10;) 
recognizing  the  faithfulness  of  God: — "True  and 
righteous  are  thy  judgments.'' 


THE    APUCALYPSE.  239 

8.  Aad  the  fourth  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  sun; 
and  power  was  given  unto  him  to  scorch  men  with  fire. 

9.  And  men  were  scorched  with  great  heat,  and  blasphemed 
the  name  of  God,  which  hath  power  over  these  plagues;  and 
they  repented  not  to  give  him  glory. 

Vs.  8, 9. — The  object  of  the  fourth  vial  is  the  "  sun," 
(ch.  viii.  12.)  *' Power  was  given  him,'' — the  angel. 
The  two  witnesses  are  represented  as  armed  with 
"  fire,'^  which  proceedeth  out  of  their  mouth,  devour- 
ing their  enemies,''  (ch.  xi.  5.)  As  the  formal  ob- 
ject of  all  the  vials  is  the  ecclesiastical,  rather  than 
the  civil  empire,  and  the  sun  is  the  symbol  of  the 
chief  dignitary,  perhaps  this  vial  strikes  more  direct- 
ly upon  the  "man  of  sin."  The  expression  in  the 
introduction  to  the  vials,  (ch.  xv.  4,) — "thou  only 
art  holy,"  seems  to  be  a  testimony  against  the  anti- 
christian  "name  of  blasphemy,'' — "Bis  Holiness.'' 
By  the  Reformation,  symbolized  by  successive  angels 
of  the  fourteenth  chapter,  those  valiant  men  tor- 
mented the  Pope  and  his  vassals,  so  that  they  raged 
and  blasphemed  more  and  more,  but  "  repented  not 
to  give  God  the  glory.''  So  it  was  at  the  sounding 
of -the  sixth  trumpet,  (ch.  ix.  20,  21.) 

10.  And  the  fifth  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  seat 
of  the  beast;  and  his  kingdom  was  full  of  darkness;  and  they 
gnawed  their  tongues  for  pain, 

11.  And  blasphemed  tlie  God  of  heaven,  because  of  their 
pains  and  their  sores,  and  repented  not  of  their  deeds. 

Vs.  10,  11. —"The  seat  of  the  beast"  -is  the  ob- 
ject of  the  fifth  vial.  The  "beast ''  is  all  along  from 
chapter  xi.  7,  the  Roman  empire.  The  "image  of 
the  beast,''  we  have  found  to  be  the  papacy,  (ch.  xiii. 
14,  15.)  Now  the  "seat  (throne)  of  the  beast," 
■u'ould  seem  to  point  to  the  metropolis,  where  the 
Pope,  as  a  kind  of  imperial,  politico-ecclesiastical 
head,  keeps  his  court,  and  whence  decrees  are  issued. 
This  plague  is  like  the  ninth  inflicted  upon  'Egypt, 


240  NOTES    ON 

(Exod.  X.  21.)  It  was  tbe  la^t  but  one,  and  left 
Pharaoh  still  impenitent.  Just  so  here;  although 
this  vial  is  the  last  but  one  to  be  poured  out  on  the 
■western  limb  of  the  great  antichristian  conspiracy: 
the  population  of  the  spiritual  empire  repress  their 
complaints  before  men, — *'they  gnawed  their  tongues 
for  pain;"  while  thej  in  their  hearts  "curse  their 
king  and  their  God,  and  look  upward.''  (Is.  viii.  21.) 
This  may  be  understood  to  be  the  actual  condition  of 
the  Pope  and  his  retainers  at  the  present  time,  and 
especially  since  the  year  1848,  when  he  was  forced 
to  flee  from  Rome.  Darkness  is  the  emblem  of  dis- 
tress, of  mental  despair,  (Ps.  xxxv.  8:  Is.  viii.  22;) 
and  the  actual  relation  of  European  powers  to  the 
see  of  Rome, — Austria,  France,  Spain,  and  the  Ita- 
lian states,  is  not  calculated  to  mitigate,  but  rather 
to  augment  and  irritate  the  "pains  and  the  sores" 
inflicted  by  this  and  former  vials. 

We  can,  hoAvever,  offer  only  conjectures  here,  and 
dare  not  be  too  confident;  for  learned  and  pious  ex- 
positors are  of  the  opinion  that  all  the  vials  are  com- 
prehended under  the  seventh  trumpet;  that  the  se- 
venth trumpet  has  not  yet  begun  to  sound;  and 
consequently,  that  the  vials  are  all  future.  On  the 
other  hand,  equally  learned  and  godly  interpreters 
of  these  Apocalyptic  hieroglyphics,  are  very  confident 
that  the  sixth  vial  is  in  process  of  pouring  out  in  our 
present  time;  and  that  in  fact  its  effects  are  ob- 
viously traceable  in  providence.  Already  we  have 
indicated  our  humble  opinion,  that  all  the  vials  are 
not  necessarily  comprehended  under  the  seventh 
trumpet;  inasmuch  as  the  opening  of  the  last  seal 
disclosed  equally  trumpets  and  vials:  yet  doubtless 
it  is  requisite  that  the  series  of  the  trumpets  should 
precede  that  of  the  vials,  while  nothing  hinders  that 
some  of  both  series  should  cotemporato.    We  may  con- 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  241 

ceive  that  as  the  first  four  trumpets  demolished  the 
western  member  of  ^he  Roman  empire,  and  the  next 
two  the  eastern  limb,  so  the  vials  may  be  distributed 
in  a  manner  somewhat  similar.  The  second  woe, 
or  sixth  trumpet,  has  not  yet  finished  its  appropriate 
work  in  the  final  subversion  of  the  Turkish  empire, 
which  still  exists;  and  during  the  time  of  its  last 
echoes,  the  vials  may  be  supposed  to  be  accomplish- 
ing their  appropriate  work  upon  the  western  empire, 
as  being  "wholly  given  to  idolatry."  While  the  first 
five  vials  are  consuming  the  Antichrist  in  the  west, 
the  sixth  is  operating  in  the  east. 

12.  And  the  sixth  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  great 
river  Euphrates;  and  the  water  thereof  was  dried  up,  that 
the  wiiy  of  the  kings  of  the  east  might  be  prepared. 

13.  And  I  saw  three  unclean  spirits  like  frogs  come  out  of 
the  mouth  of  the  dragon,  and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  beast, 
and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  false  prophet. 

14.  For  the}'-  are  the  spirits  of  devils,  working  miracles, 
which  go  forth  unto  the  kings  of  the  earth  and  ot"  the  whole 
world,  to  gather  them  to  the  battle  of  that  great  day  of  God 
Almighty. 

15.  Behold,  I  come  as  a  thief.  Blessed  is  he  that  watcheth 
and  keepeth  his  garments,  lest  he  walk  naked,  and  they  see 
his  shame. 

16.  And  he  gathered  them  together  into  a  place  called  in 
the  Hebrew  tongue  Armageddon. 

Ys.  12-16.— "The  great  river  Euphrates"  is  the 
object  of  the  sixth  via).  Bj  the  very  general  con- 
sent of  expositors  the  Turkish  empire  is  intended  by 
this  symbol;  and  they  seem  to  be  equally  agreed  that 
the  sixth  vial  in  now  in  process  of  pouring  out. 
The  object  of  the  sixth  trumpet  is  the  same,  (ch. 
ix.  14.)  There  is,  besides,  an  obvious  allusion  to  the 
ancient  literal  Babylon;  and  to  the  manner  of  its 
overthrow  by  Cvrus  the  king  of  Persia.  (Jer.  1.  38; 
li.  36;  Dan.  v.  26-28;  Is.  xiiv.  27,  28.)— '1  his  mo- 
narch, as  historians  relate,  changed  the  current  of 


212  ^OTES    L)N 

tlie  Euphrates,  and  by  this  means  took  possession  of 
the  city,   while  Belshazzar  and  his  nobles  were  en- 
gaged in  a  drunken  festival.  (Dan.  v.  i-30.) — The 
waters  of  this  river  are  to  be  taken  as  representing 
the  population  of  the  Ottoman  empire,  (eh.  xvii.  15.) 
By  the  "kings  of  the  east''  may  be  understood  the 
Jews,  agreeably  to  the  symbolical  nature  of  this  book; 
(Is.  xli.  2,  3 ;)  yet  as  the  Turkish  em.pire  and  Ma- 
hometan  imposture  constitute  barriers  to  the  exten- 
sion of  Christ's  kingdom  among  the  populous  nations 
of  the  east,   as  Popish   despotism  and  idolatry,  ob- 
struct the  gospel  in  the  west,  we  may  give  this  sym- 
bol of  the  "kings  of  the  east"  a  more  extensive  in- 
terpretation.    Probably  a   larger  proportion   of  the 
natural  seed  of  Abraham  are  to  be  found  on  the  west 
than  even  on  the  east  of  the  Turkish  empire.     The 
dynasty  of  the  Turk  is  in  process  of  visible  exhaus- 
tion,  and  nothing   but  what  is  termed  among  anti- 
christian  nations  "the  balance  of  power,''  prolongs 
its  existence  or  hinders  its  extinction.    "Drying  up," 
evaporation,  is  a  gradual  process,  and  with  singular 
precision  describes  the  waning  light  of  the  once  proud 
Crescent, — the  expiring  breatii    of   what  has    been 
term.ed  by  a  bold  figure,  "the  sick  man."* — Under 
this  vial,  however,  aiid  likewise  as  the  termination  of 
the  second  woe,  a  general,  final  and  desperate  alli- 
ance is  to  be  found  to  resist  the  aggressive  f^-ces  of 
the  "Lord  of  Hosts." — This  confederacy  is  headed 
by  the  dragon,  and  is  identical  with  the  war,  (ch.  xii. 
17,)  against  the  "remnant  of  the  woman's  seed." — 
These  "unclean  spirits  like  frogs"  are  called  "spirits 
of  devils."     They  "come  out  of  the  mouth  "-of  all 
the  agents,  the  dragon,  (ch.   xii.   3,   9,)   the  beast, 
(ch.  xiii.  1.)  and  the  false  prophet, — the  same  as  the 

*  So  designated  by  Nicholas,  late  emperor  of  Russia. 


THE    ArOCALYi'nE.  1^48 

two-horned  beast,  (v.  11,)  and  (oh.  xlx.  20.)  These 
"unclean  spirits"  succeed  in  gatherinp^  the  kings  of 
the  earth,  by  "workinp^  miracles,''  "lying  wonders.'' 
(2  Thess.  ii.  9;  1  Tim.  iv.  1,  2.)  'They  are  the 
agents  of  antichristian  Rome,  spiritual  wickedness 
in  high  places,"  (Eph.  vi.  12;) — "like  frogs,"  living 
in  moral  filth:  garrulous  and  impudent,  stealthily 
gaining  access  into  the  bedchambers  of  the  kings, 
"after  the  manner  of  Egypt."  (Exod.  viii.  3.) — Sure- 
ly the  policy  of  Rome  is  here  portrayed,,  her  cardi- 
nals, archbishops,  Jesuits,  etc.,  gaining  entrance  into 
the  councils  and  cabinets  of  princes,  inciting  them 
to  debauchery,  tyranny  and  blood.  Hellish  hosts  are 
thus  "gathered  to  the  battle  of  that  great  day  of 
God  Almighty,'' — the  day  of  the  seventh  vial,  of  the 
"vintage,"  (ch.  xiv.  18-20,)  and  of  the  seventh 
trumpet,  (ch.  xi.  15;)  for  all  these  agree  in  point  of 
time. — This  will  be  an  "hour  of  temptation,"  as  in- 
timated in  the  15th  verse,  which  is  a  parenthesis,  in- 
terrupting a  little  the  narrative  of  the  effects  of  the 
vial.  There  is  danger  of  apostacy,  of  "falling  away 
to  these  Chaldeans,''  of  temporizing  with  the  enemy 
in  order- to  escape  suffering.  Thus  Christian  soldiers 
of  the  cross,  losing  "the  armour  of  righteousness,'' 
would  be  exposed  to  "shame."  But  "blessed  is  he 
that  watcheth,"  that  looks  to  the  Captain  of  Salva- 
tion, to  his  cause,  as  elucidated  by  his  providence, — 
the  signs  of  the  times;  for  so  shall  he  "keep  his  gar- 
ments,'' when  others  are  "found  naked." — "And 
he  gathered  them''  or  rather  ^Hhey  gathered,"  (for 
the  singular  verb  agrees  with  its  nominative  plural 
neuter  as  usual,) — the  "unclean  spirits  gathered  the 
kings  of  the  earth  "  to  the  destined  place.  This  hin- 
ders not  but  that  these  antichristian  enemies  of  the 
church  are  brought  together  by  the  Almighty.  Just 
so  he  sent  the  king  of  Assyria  against  "a  hypocriti- 


244  NOTES    UN 

cal  nation."  (Is.  x.  5-7.)  And  doubtless  the  pro- 
phet Joel  prophesied  of  this  great  and  decisive  bat-- 
tie,  (ch,  iii.  11-14.)  "Thither  cause  thy  raightj  ones 
to  come  down,  0  Lord.''  Compare  vs.  1,  2.  The 
place  is  called  "  Armageddon,''  the  mountain  of  de- 
struction, suggesting  the  issue  of  the  battle  in  the  tinal 
overthrow  of  Antichrist;  for  it  is  not  necessary  to 
suppose  that  any  place  is  literally  pointed  out;  but 
as  this  is  a  compound  word  in  the  "Hebrew  tongue," 
allusion  may  be  made  to  the  slaughter  of  Sisera's 
army,  (Judges  v.  19;)  or  to  the  mournful  death  of 
Josiah,  (2  Chron.  xxxv.  22.) 

17.  And  the  seventh  angel  poured  out  his  vial  into  the  air; 
and  there  came  a  great  voice  out  of  the  temple  of  heaven, 
from  the  throne,  saying,  It  is  done. 

18.  And  there  were  voices,  and  thunders,  and  lightnings; 
and  there  was  a  great  earthquake,  such  as  was  not  since  men 
were  upon  the  earth,  so  mighty  an  earthquake,  and  so  great. 

19.  And  the  great  city  was  divided  into  three  parts,  and 
the  cities  of  the  nations  fell;  and  great  Babylon  came  in  re- 
membrance before  God,  to  give  unto  her  the  cup  of  the  wine 
of  the  fierceness  of  his  wrath. 

20.  And  every  island  fied  away,  and  the  mountains  were 
not  found. 

21.  And  there  fell  upon  men  a  great  hail  out  of  heaven, 
every  stone  about  the  weight  of  a  talent;  and  men  blasphemed 
God,  because  of  the  plague  of  the  hail;  for  the  plague  thereof 
was  exceeding  great. 

Vs.  17-21. — "The  seventh  angel  poured  out  his 
vial  into  the  air." — The  devil  is  emphatically  styled 
*'the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air.''  (Eph.  ii.  2.) 
All  the  preceding  vials  fell  upon  their  respective  and 
successive  objects,  the  several  parts  of  the  symbolic 
system;  but  this  "vial  of  consummation''  affects  the 
whole  of  that  system  at  once.  The  dragon,  the  beast, 
and  his  image,  together  with  the  false  prophet, — all 
the  "kingdoms  of  this  world  and  the  glory  of  them," 
which  the  god  of  this  world  claimed  as  his  own,  and 
offered  to  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  the  days  of  his  hu- 


THE    APOCALYP.-E.  245 

miliation,  (Luke  iv.  6,  7;) — all  will  be  destroyed  for 
ever.  He  who  gave  commission  b j  a  "great  voice,'' 
(v.  1,)  to  these  angels,  now  that  they  have  fulfilled 
his  pleasure,  solemnly  declares  his  approbation, — 
*'It  is  done.''  The  Lord  Christ  had  solemnly  sworn 
that  "  in  the  days  of  the  voice  of  the  seventh  angel, 
when  he  should  begin  to  sound,  the  mystery  of  God 
should  be  finished^'''  (ch.  x.  6,  7.)  He  is  faithful  to 
his  oath, — It  is  done.  Hence,  it  is  undeniably  evi- 
dent that  the  seventh  trumpet  agrees  in  time  w^ith 
the  seventh  vial;  and  it  is  equally  evident  that  the 
events  which  they  represent  are  yet  future.  What 
was  obscurely  intimated  as  following  the  sounding  of 
the  seventh  trumpet, — *'the  nations  were  angry, — 
and  thy  wrath  is  come,"  (ch.  xi.  18,)  is  here 
amplified;  for  the  "voices,  thunders  and  lightnings,'' 
are  the  visible  and  sensible  tokens  of  the  wrath 
of  God.  (Exod.  xix.  16;  Heb.  xii.  2L)  Next  fol- 
lows an  "earthquake,''  the  usual  symbol  of  revo- 
lution ;  but  this  one  is  without  parallel.  An  earth- 
quake followed  the  opening  of  the  sixth  seal,  (ch. 
vi.  12;)  when  paganism  was  overthrown  in  the  Ro- 
man empire  by  Constantino,  and  another  earth- 
quake marked  the  close  of  the  second  woe,  (ch.  xi. 
13,)  w^hen  "the  tenth  part  of  the  city  fell:''  but  this 
concussion  is  "so  mighty  and  so  great"  as  to  "  divide 
the  great  city  into  three  parts,''  or  rival  factions: 
next,  "the  cities  of  the  nations  fell," — revolted  from 
their  wonted  allegiance,  and  "great  Babylon  came 
in  remembrance  before  God,"  who  seemed  to  have 
forgotten  both  her  and  his  saints  whom  she  had  so 
long  and  so  cruelly  persecuted.  At  the  fall  of  Rome 
pagan,  mountains  and  islands  were  only  "moved  out 
of  their  places,''  (ch.  vi.  14;)  but  at  the  fall  of  Rome 
papal,  "every  island  fled  away,  and  the  mountains 
were  not  found;'' — the  former  indicating  trayisition, 


1^4G  NOTi^S    ON 

the  hXter  niter  destj^uctwn, — The  "full  of  hail''  is 
to  be  viewed  as  accompanying,  not  following,  the 
fall  of  cities,  flight  of  islands  and  mountains.  As 
hail-stones  are  symbolical  of  divine  judgm.ents,  and 
as  there  may  be  allusion  here  to  another  of  the 
plagues  of  Egypt,  (Exod.  ix.  18 ;)  so  more  especially 
may  the  facts  of  history  supply  the  figurative  lan- 
guage w^ith  which  the  judgments  of  the  vials  termi- 
nate. If  any  escaped  the  destroying  sword  in  the 
battle  of  Armageddon,  they  are  overtaken  by  these 
ponderous  hail-stones  out  of  heaven;  even  as  'Hhe 
Lord  cast  down  great  stones  from  heaven  "  upon  the 
five  kings  of  the  Amorites;  so  that  "  more  died  with 
hailstones  than  they  whom  the  children  of  Israel 
slew  with  the  sword.''  (Jos.  x.  11.) — The  result  is 
as  before;  the  survivors  remain  impenitent.  As  his- 
tory supplies  no  instance  of  literal  hail-stones  of  a 
talent  weight,  (sixty  pounds,  or  as  others,  a  hun- 
dred,) so  the  symbol  represents  this  as  the  most  tre- 
mendous of  all  the  judgments  of  God,  (ch.  xiv.  20.) 
Thus,  we  have  seen  that  the  last  trumpet  and  the 
last  vial  combine,  in  the  final  perdition  of  Babylon 
the  great. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

This  chapter  may  be  considered  introductory  to 
the  eighteenth,  or  as  a  digression  in  the  narrative, 
to  exphiin  more  fully  the  integral  parts  of  that  com- 
plex, mystical  moral  person  so  often  called  "great 
Eabylon,"  whose  destruction  was  so  awfully  presented 
in  the  foregoing  chapter. 

1.  And  there  came  one  of  tlie  seven  angels,  wiiicli  had  the 
seven  vials,  and  talked  with  me,  saying  unto  me,  Come  hith- 
er; I  will  show  unto  thee  the  judgment  of  the  great  whore, 
that  sitteth  upon  many  waters; 


THE    APOC.ALYl'SK.  '211 

2.  With  whom  the  kings  of  the  earth  have  committed  for- 
nication, and  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  have  been  made 
drunk  vviththe  wine  of  her  fornication. 

Vs.  1,  2. — The  angel  that  "talked  with  the  apos- 
tle'' was  probably  the  seventh.  ''-  The  great  whore'' 
is  the  symbol  of  the  idolatrous  church  of  Rome, 
which  broke  her  marriage  covenant  with  Christ. 
Idolatry  is  spiritual  whoredom.  (Elosea  vi.  10.)  Her 
"sitting  upon  many  waters"  is  explained,  verse  15. 
"The  kings  of  the  earth"  are  her  paramours,  and 
their  subjects  are  partakers  in  the  crime, — "made 
drunk." 

3.  So  he  carried  me  away  in  the  spirit  into  the  wilderness; 
and  I  saw  a  woman  sit  upon  a  scarlet-coloured  beast,  full  of 
names  of  blasphemy,  having  seven  heads,  and  ten  horns. 

4.  And  the  w^oman  was  arra.yed  in  purple  and  scarlet-colour, 
and  decked  with  gold,  and  precious  stones,  and  pearls,  having 
a  golden  cup  in  her  hand,  full  of  abominations,  and  filthiness 
of  her  fornication. 

5.  And  upon  her  forehead  Avas  a  name  written,  mystery, 

r.ABYLON  THE   GREAT,  THE  MOTHER  OP  HARLOTS,  AND  ABOMI- 
NATIONS OF  THE  EARTH. 

Vs.  3-5. — The  "scarlet-coloured  beast''  is  the 
Ilo~man  empire  professing  the  Christian  religion,  mo- 
delled by  the  Romish  church;  for  the  "woman  sits 
upon  the  beast,''  guiding  and  controlling  all  its  mo- 
tions. (James  iii.  3.)  The  raiment  of  both  is  at  once 
imperial  and  bloodi/, — "purple  and  scarlet." — The 
raiment  of  this  "  woman''  is  decked  with  precious  me- 
tal, stones  and  pearls,  after  the  usual  "attire  of  a  har- 
lot." (Ezek.  xvi.17.)  The  "cup"  alludes  to  the  prac- 
tice of  harlots  giving  love-potions  to  their  paramours, 
very  expressive  of  the  indulgences,  absolutions,  pre- 
ferments, etc.,  by  which  the  church  of  Rome  attracts 
disciples  to  her  idolatry.  ''The  nations  have  drunken 
of  her  wine;  therefore  the  nations  are  mad."  (Jer. 
li.  7.) — Tlie  inscription  "upon  her  forehead''  is  after 
the  manner  of  shameless  prostitutes,  avowing  Rome's 


248  >sOTES    ON 

whoredoms  of  idolatry,  monasticism,  indulgences  to 
sin,  as  essential  to  religion,  a  "myster}  of  iniquity,'' 
by  which  the  ''man  of  sin  thinks  to  change  times 
and  laws."  (Dan.  vii.  24,  25;  xi.  36,  37.) 

6.  And  I  saw  the  woman  drunken  with  the  blood  of  the 
saints,  and  with  the  blood  of  the  martyrs  of  Jesus:  and  when 
I  saw  her,  1  wondered  with  great  admiration. 

V.  6. — This  "woman,'' — Christian  clturcli^ — was 
*' drunken  with  the  blood  of  saints  and  martyrs.'' 
Of  course,  such  a  sight  would  give  rise  to  the  apos- 
tle's astonishment.  The  attempt  of  popish  wTiters  to 
apply  this  to  pagan  Rome's  persecutions  is  demon- 
strably false ;  for  John  could  not  "wonder"  at  the 
persecution  of  the  church  when  he  was  himself  an 
actual  victim  in  Patmos,  (ch.  i.  9.) 

7.  And  the  angel  said  unto  me,  Wherefore  didst  thou  mar- 
vel ?  I  will  tell  thee  the  mystery  of  the  woman,  and  of  the 
beast  that  canieth  her,  which  hath  the  seven  heads  and  ten 
horns. 

8.  The  beast  that  thou  sawest,  was,  and  is  not;  and  shall 
ascend  out  of  the  bottomless  p  t,  and  go  into  perdition:  and 
they  that  dwell  on  the  earth  shall  wonder  (whose  names 
were  not  written  in  the  book  of  life  from  the  foundation  of 
the  world,)  w^hen  they  behold  the  beast  that  was,  and  is 
not,  and  yet  is. 

9.  And  here  is  the  mind  which  hath  wisdom.  The  seven 
heads  are  seven  mountains,  on  which  the  woman  sitteth. 

10.  And  there  are  seven  kings:  five  are  fallen,  and  one  is, 
and  the  other  is  not  yet  come;  and  when  he  cometh,  he  must 
continue  a  short  space. 

11.  And  the  beast  that  was,  and  is  not,  even  he  is  the 
eighth,  and  is  of  the  seven,  and  goeth  into  perdition. 

A^s.  7-11. — The  angel  explains  the  *' mystery  of 
the  woman  and  of  the  beast  that  carrieth  her."  The 
beast,  the  civil  powder,  carrieth,  sustains  the  woman, 
the  church;  as  the  church  controls  the  state,  (v.  3; 
ch.  xiii.  1,  11,  16.)  The  "beast  that  was,  and  is 
not,  and  yet  is,"  is  a  mysterious  personage  as  well  as 
the    woman;   therefore    all    who   "dwell    upon    the 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  249 

earth," — not  In '*heaven,  wonder,"  (ch.  xiii.  3-6;) — 
that  is,  all  the  vassals  of  Antichrist,  distinguished 
from  those  whose  *' names  are  in  the  book  of  life," — 
the  two  witnesses. — "The  seven  heads"  of  the  beast 
signify  seven  mountains,  on  which  Rome  literally 
stands,  namely,  Capitoline,  Palatine,  Aventine,  Es- 
quiline,  Coelian,  Yiminal  and  Quirinal.  Here  the 
woman  and  Rome  are  manifestly  identical, — the  spi- 
ritual empire.  But  the  heads  of  the  beast  have  a 
double  meaning;  for  they  also  signify  *' seven  kings'' 
or  successive  forms  of  civil  government.  At  the 
time  when  John  wrote,  '*five  had  fallen;''  they  had 
passed  into  actual  history.  One  was  then  existing, 
namely,  the  emperor,  in  the  person  of  Domitian,  as 
is  supposed.  This  is  the  imperial  head,  whose 
*' deadly  wound  was  healed,''  (ch.  xiii.  3.) — The 
"seventh  head  was  not  come"  in  the  apostles's  time, 
but  on  his  appearance,  he  was  to  *' continue  a  short 
space."  The  papacy  is  not  the  seventh  head.  He 
is  a  horn.  (Dan.  vii.  8,  20.)  But  a  horn  of  the  beast 
cannot  identify  with  the  least  himfielf.  It  is  other- 
wise with  a  head,  which  is  the  form  of  government 
over  the  ivJiole  empire.  The  patriciate  succeeded 
the  imperial,  being  the  seventh  head,  and  only  of 
short  duration,  about  fifty  years.  Charlemagne  was 
crowned  emperor  of  the  Romans  in  the  year  eight 
hundred;  and  so  the  patriciate  terminated.  This  is 
the  eighth,  which  "is  of  the  seven;"  and  goeth  into 
perdition.  This  septimo-octave  head  is  so  variable, 
sometimes  acknowledged  as  residing  in  Austria,  then 
in  France,  etc.,  that  for  hundreds  of  years,  the  great 
republic  of  the  nations, — all  bestial, — are  at  a  loss  to 
identify  the  visible  head  in  whom  resides  the  prece- 
dency: hence  the  "balance  of  power"  is  so  perplex- 
ing and  difHcult  to  adjust.  Were  there  an  acknow- 
ledged imperial  and  despotic  head,  this  obvious  diffi- 


250  NOTES    ON 

culty  could  not  exist.  But  thebeust  is  not.  Never- 
theless the  arbitrary  power  of  the  horns  of  the  beast 
is  sensibly  felt  in  every  part  of  the  Roman  empire. — 
The  beast  is,  and  will  continue  till  "the  time  of  the 
end;''  (Dan.  xii.  9;)  for  the  Roman  empire  must  be 
equal  in  duration  with  the  life  and  actingi  of  the  two 
witnesses,  1260  vears. 

12.  And  the  ten  horns  which  thou  sawest  are  ten  kings, 
wfjichhave  received  no  kingdom  as  yet;  but  receive  power 
as  kings  one  hour  with  the  beast. 

13.  These  have  one  mind,  and  shall  give  their  power  and 
strength  unto  the  beast 

14.  These  shall  make  war  with  the  Lamb,  and  the  Lamb 
shall  overcome  them;  for  he  is  Lord  of  lords,  and  King  of 
kings;  and  they  that  are  with  him  are  called,  and  chosen,  and 
faithful. 

Vs.  12-14. — *'The  ten  horns"  signify  *'ten  kings'' 
or  regal  or  civil  sovereignties,  into  which  the  empire 
was  to  be  partitioned  after  John's  time,  and  "which 
we  have  seen  was  effected  by  the  first  four  trumpets, 
(ch.  viii.  7-12.) — These  *' received  power  one  hour 
with  the  beast," — rather,  at  07ie  time.,  or  cotempo- 
raneously  with  the  beast;  for  they  are  his  horns,  and 
are  of  "one  mind,  giving  their  power  and  strength,'' 
all  their  resources,  to  him.  These  shall  make  war 
with  the  Lamb,"  the  Mediator,  headed  by  the  dragon, 
and  instigated  by  the  beast  and  his  image,  (ch.  xii. 
7;  xiii.  70 

15.  And  he  saith  unto  me,  The  waters  which  thou  sawest, 
w^here  the  whore  sitteth,  are  peoples,  and  multitudes,  and 
nations,  and  tongues. 

V.15.~"The  waters,"  controlled  by  "the  whore," 
are  the  multitudes  whom  the  apostate  church  of  Rome 
commands  to  volunteer  in  the  wars  of  the  kings 
against  the  Lamb. 

10.  And  the  ten  horns  which  thou  sawest  upon  the  beast, 
these  sliall  hate  the  whore,  and  shall  make  her  desolate  and 
naked,  and  shall  eal  her  ilcsh,  and  burn  her  with  fire. 


THE    AFOCALYPtfE.  261 

V.  16. — What  a  surprising  change!  yet  how  natu- 
ral! (2  Sam.  xiii.  15.)  Ihe  punishment  is  that 
which  was  adjudged  in  the  case  of  a  priest's  daugh- 
ter. (Lev.  xxi.  9.) — The  "ten  horns,"  here,  are  to 
be  understood  generally,  not  universally,  (ch.  xviii. 
9;  xix.  19.)  Some  of  those  princes  that  have  con- 
tributed most  to  the  aggrandizement  of  the  Romish 
church,  and  been  most  devoted  to  her  religion,  as 
the  ruler  of  France,  "the  eldest  son  of  the  church," 
their  "catholic  majesties"  of  Austria,  Spain,  Por- 
tugal,—  may  be  among  the  first  in  executing  divine 
judgments  on  Babylon.  —  ''Make  her  desolate  and 
naked,  eat  her  flesh;''  that  is,  withdraw  the  lands, 
endowments,  etc.,  which  enriched  her  monastaries 
and  fattened  her  bishops,  priests,  etc. 

17.  For  God  bath  put  in  their  hearts  to  falfi]  his  will,  and 
to  agree,  and  give  their  kingdom  unto  the  beast,  until  the 
words  oi'  God  shall  be  fulfilled. 

V.  17. — Here  we  are  led  into  the  secret  cause  of  the 
wonderful  change  in  the  policy  of  the  horns:  "God 
hath  put  into  their  hearts."  They  just  do  to  the 
"great  whore,  whatsoever  God's  hand  and  counsel 
determined  before  to  be  done."  (Acts  iv.  28.  See 
also  Exod.  vii.  3;  Gen.  xlv.  8;  1.  20;  Ps.  cv.  25.) 

18.  And  the  woman  which  thou  .sawest  is  that  great  cii  j, 
which  reigneth  over  the  kings  of  the  earth. 

V.  18. — This  "woman  is  tlie  great  city:"  not  lite- 
rally the  city  of  Rome;  but  the  imperial  .ecclesiasti- 
cal jurisdiction,  to  whose  authority  intoxicated  kings 
and  their  subjects  bowed  in  slavish  submission ;  and 
whose  bloody  decrees  they  had  executed  for  1260 
years  upon  many  of  their  best  subjects  and  fellow- 
creatures. 


252  KOTES    ON 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

1.  And  after  these  things  I  saw  another  angel  come  down  from 
heaven,  having  great  power;  and  the  earth  was  lightened  with 
his  glory. 

2.  And  he  cried  mightily  with  a  strong  voice,  saying,  Baby- 
lon the  great  is  fallen,  is  fallen,  and  is  become  the  habitation 
of  devils,  an^  the  hold  of  every  foul  spirit,  and  a  cage  of  every 
unclean  and  hateful  bird. 

3.  For  all  nations  have  drunk  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of 
her  fornication,  and  the  kings  of  the  earth  have  committed 
fornication  with  her,  and  the  merchants  of  the  earth  are  waxed 
rich  through  the  abundance  of  her  delicacies. 

Vs.  1-3. — After  the  apostle  had  described  Babylon 
in  the  preceding  chapter,  he  "saw  another  angel.'' 
This  seems  to  be  the  Lord  Christ,  the  same  as  in  ch. 
X.  1.  He  "confirmeth  the  word  of  his  servants," 
(ch.  xiv.  8;)  that  "Babylon  the  great  has  fallen," 
and  is  adequately  punished  for  her  crimes,  which  are 
enumerated,  v.  3. 

4.  And  I  heard  another  voice  from  heaven,  saying.  Come 
out  of  her,  my  people,  that  ye  be  not  partakers  of  her  sins, 
and  that  ye  receive  not  of  her  plagues: 

V.  4. — The  phrase,  "my  people''  indicates  that 
the  speaker  is  not  a  created  angel  whose  warning  is 
here  given  with  a  "voice  from  heaven."  This  call 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  has  been  addressed  to  his  elect, 
ever  since  the  revelation  of  the  "man  of  sin."  It 
has  been  obeyed  but  partially  hitherto:  but  upon  the 
sounding  of  the  seventh  trumpet,  his  Holy  Spirit  will 
give  the  call  unusual  efficacy. 

5.  For  her  sins  have  reached  unto  heaven,  and  God  hath  re- 
membered her  iniquities. 

6.  Reward  her  even  as  .she  rewarded  you,  and  double  unto 
her  double,  according  to  her  works:  in  the  cup  which  he  hath 
filled,  fill  to  her  double. 

7.  flow  much  she  hath  glorified  herself,  and  lived  delicious- 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  25o 

ly,  so  much  torment  and  sorrow  give  her:  for  she  saith  in  her 
heart,  I  sit  a  queen;  and  am  no  widow,  and  shall  see  no  sorrow. 
8.  Therefore  shall  her  plagues  come  in  one  day,  death,  and 
mourning,  and  famine;  and  she  shall  be  utterly  burnt  with 
fire  ;  for  strong  is  the  Lord  God  who  judgeth  her. 

Vs.  5-8. — "Her  sins  have  reached  unto  heaven,'' 
and  now  she  is  to  be  visited  with  condign  punish- 
ment; although  it  seemed  both  to  her  and  God's  own 
people  long  delayed.  *'  God  hath  reniembered  her  ini- 
quities.'' There  is  reference  to  ancient  Babylon's  pu- 
nishment, and  the  law  of  retaliation.  (Jer.  1.  15:  Ps. 
cxxxvii.  8;  Is.  xlvii.  1-8.)  Her  punishment  is  "de- 
struction from  the  Almighty:  "strong  is  the  Lord  God 
who  judgeth  her." 

9.  And  the  kings  of  the  earth  who  have  committed  fornica- 
tion and  lived  deliciously  with  her,  shall  bewail  her,  and  la- 
ment for  her,  when  they  shall  see  the  smoke  of  her  burning. 

10.  Standing  afar  off,  for  the  fear  of  her  torment,  saying, 
Alas,  alas,  that  great  city  Babylon,  that  mighy  ciryl  for  in 
one  hour  is  thy  judgment  come. 

11.  And  the  merchants  of  the  earth  shall  weep  and  mourn 
over  her;  for  no  man  buyeth  their  merchandise  any  more. 

12.  The  merohandise  of  gold,  and  silver,  and  precious  stones, 
and  of  pearls,  and  fine  linen,  and  purple,  and  silk,  and^  scar- 
let, and  all  thyine-wood,  and  all  manner  of  vessels  of  ivory, 
and  all  manner  vessels  of  most  precious  wood,  and  of  brass, 
and  iron,  and  marble. 

13.  And  cinnamon,  and  odours,  and  ointments,  and  frank- 
incense, and  wine,  and  oil,  and  fine  flour,  and  wheat,  and 
beasts,  and  sheep,  and  horses,  and  chariots,  and  slaves,  and 
souls  of  men. 

14.  And  the  fruits  that  thy  soul  lusted  after  are  departed 
from  thee,  and  all  things  which  were  dainty  and  goodly  are 
departed  from  thee,  and  thou  shalt  find  them  no  more  at  all. 

15.  The  merchants  of  these  things,  which  were  made  rich 
by  her,  shall  stand  afar  off,  for  the  fear  of  her  torment,  weep- 
ing and  wailing, 

16.  And  saying,  Alas,  alas  !  that  great  city,  that  was  clothed 
in  fine  linen,  and  purple,  and  scarlet,  and  decked  with  gold, 
and  precious  stones,  and  pearls! 

17.  For  in  one  hour  so  great  riches  is  come  to  naught.  And 
every  ship  master,  and  all  the  company  in  ships,  and  sailors, 
and  as  many  as  trade  by  sea,  stood  afar  off, 

i 


254  NOTES  ox 

18.  And  cried,  -wfcen  they  saw  tbe  smoke  of  her  burning, 
sajing,  What  city  is  like  unto  this  great  city? 

19.  And  they  cast  dust  on  their  heads,  and  cried,  weeping 
and  wailing,  saying,  Alas,  alas!  that  great  city,  wherein  were 
made  rich  all  that  had  ships  in  the  sea,  by  reason  of  her  cost- 
liness! for  in  one  hour  is  she  made  desolate. 

Vs.  9-19. — At  the  fall  of  Babylon  some  of  the 
kings  who  had  been  her  supporters,  will  lament  for 
her  while  utterly  unable  to  protect  her,  and  afraid  of 
partaking  of  her  plagues.  It  may  be  proper  to  re- 
mark, that  the  word  translated  *' alas,"  and  repeated 
in  this  chapter,  is  the  same  in  the  Greek  text  as  that 
which  is  rendered,  "woe''  in  ch.  viii.  13;  from  which 
fact  we  are  to  infer  that  the  fall  of  mystical  Baby- 
lon described  in  this  chapter  comes  under  the  last 
three,  or  probably  the  seventh  trumpet.  That  the 
Turkish  empire  is  to  be  overthrown  by  the  sixth 
trumpet  or  second  woe,  and  gradually  exhausted  by 
the  sixth  vial,  hardly  admits  of  a  doubt:  but  it  does 
not  necessarily  follow,  that  said  trumpet  and  vial  are 
to  terminate  when  that  judgment  ends.  Each  trum- 
pet and  vial  may  continue  its  effects  for  some  time 
after  the  following  one  commences. — Kings,  mer- 
chants and  shipmasters  are  mentioned  as  chief  mourn- 
ers, while  they  are  helpless  spectators  of  this  judg- 
ment. In  all  this  narrative  there  is  plain  allusion  to 
the  language  of  Old  Testament  prophets  who  predict- 
ed the  destruction  of  the  enemies  of  God's  people; 
as  Babylon,  Tyre,  Egypt.  All  these  powerful  king- 
doms have  been  made  desolate  for  their  idolatry  and 
cruelty;  and  thus  history  comes  in  aid  of  prophecy 
to  confirm  the  faith  of  the  saints.  The  moral  go- 
vernment of  the  Most  High  is  uniform,  and  he  will 
execute  vengeance  upon  his  and  Zion's  impenitent 
enemies.  The  merchandise  and  lamentations  are 
borrowed  from  Ezek.  xxvii.  In  ver.  13  there  is  men- 
tion made  of  'Hhe  persons  of  men"  as  part  of  the 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  2bO 

wares  in  the  markets  of  Tyre,  and  we  find  ''slaves 
(bodies)  and  souls  of  men,"  among  the  commodities 
for  sale  in  modern  Babylon,  flow  can  we,  in  view 
of  historic  facts,  exempt  the  United  States  of  North 
America  from  complicity  in  the  crimes  of  mystic  Ba- 
bylon as  one  of  her  dependencies?  While  earthly 
politicians,  sustained  by  eminent  divines,  proclaimed 
to  the  world  in  gushing  oratory  that  "America  was 
an  asylum  foB  the  oppressed  of  all  nations,'' — ''the 
land  of  the  free,  and  the  home  of  the  brave;''  per- 
haps there  never  was  a  more  effectual  refutation  of 
this  popular  sentiment,  accompanied  with  a  more 
biting  sarcasm,  than  that  which  was  uttered  in  deri- 
sive song  by  the  sable,  coffled  chain-gang  in  the 
streets  of  the  national  capital, — "Hail!  Columbia, 
happy  land!" — All  who  are  acquainted  with  the  in- 
ternal and  political  history  of  the  United  States, 
know  that  the  adherents  of  the  "  Man  of  Sin ''  always 
gave  their  suffrages  for  the  support  and  continuance 
of  that  cursed  traffic. 

The  great  variety  of  the  articles  of  merchandise 
here  enumerated,  is  calculated  to  impress  the  reader 
with  the  idea  of  the  wealth,  luxury,  splendor,  and 
self-indulgence  of  the  metropolis  of  the  idolatrous 
Roman  empire,  the  "mother  and  mistress  of  all 
churches.'' — The  prophetic  declaration,  however, — 
"with  feigned  words  shall  they  make  merchandise 
of  you,"  (2  Pet.  ii.  3,)  is  not  confined  to  the  Romish 
communion.  This  traffic,  in  souls,  pervades  all  the* 
streets  of  symbolic  Babylon. — The  overthrow  is  sud- 
den and  unexpected, — "  in  one  hour."  This  is  thrice 
repeated,  (vs.  10,  17,  19.)  In  v.  18  this  "spiritual 
Sodom"  is  compared  to  her  prototype  in  her  fearful 
end.  "They  saw  the  smoke  of  her  burnino;."  (Gen. 
xix.  28.) 


256  KOIES    ON. 

20.  Rejoice  over  her,  tliou  heaven,  and  ye  holy  apostles  and 
prophets;  for  God  hath  aveiiged  you  on  her. 

V.  20. — Judgments  on  the  impenitent  enemies  of 
God  and  of  the  saints,  are  mercies  to  the  church. 
(Ps.  cxxxvi.  15-20;)  and  consequently,  while  the 
former  are  lamenting  for  the  fall  of  the  great  city, 
the  latter  are  exhorted  to  rejoice  in  her  ruin, — all  the 
members  of  the  church  in  general,  and  "holy  apos- 
tles and  prophets"  in  particular.  The  apostles  are 
daily  worshipped  at  Rome  in  their  supposed  like- 
nesses, the  work  of  the  "cunning  artificer;  but  here 
they  are  mentioned  as  rejoicing  in  the  destruction  of 
the  idolatrous  sinners  who  so  greatly  disJionoured 
them,  and  detracted  from  the  glory  of  God. — As 
"there  is  joy  in  heaven  over  one  sinner  that  repent- 
eth,"  so  is  there  over  the  destruction  of  the  impeni- 
tent. (Jer.  li.  48.)  "So  let  all  thine  enemies  perish, 
0  Lord."  (Judges  v.  31.) 

21.  And  a  mighty  angel  took  up  a  stone  like  a  great  mill- 
stone, and  cast  it  into  the  sea,  saying,  Thus  with  violence 
shall  that  great  city  Bab>lou  be  thrown  down,  and  shall  be 
found  no  more  at  all. 

22.  And  the  voice  of  harpers,  and  musicians,  and  of  pipers, 
and  trumpeters,  shall  be  heard  no  more  at  all  in  thee ;  and  no 
craftsman,  of  whatsoever  craft  he  be,  shall  be  found  any  more 
in  thee ;  and  the  sound  of  a  millstone  shall  be  heard  no  more 
atall  in  thee; 

23.  And  the  light  of  a  candle  shall  shine  no  more  at  all  in 
thee;  and  the  voice  of  the  bridegroom  and  of  the  bride  shall 
be  heard  no  more  at  all  in  thee:  for  thy  merchants  were  the 
great  men  oi  the  earth ;  for  by  thy  sorceries  were  all  nations 
deceived. 

Vs.  21-23. — The  emblem  of  "a  great  millstone 
cast  into  the  sea,''  is  a  very  striking  indication  of 
the  sudden  and  irretrievable  ruin  of  mystic  Babylon, 
and  contains  an  allusion  to  Jer.  li.  63,  64. — The  re- 
moval of  "musicians,  craftsmen,  candles,  etc.,"  from 
this  devoted  city,  as  they  plainly  point  to  the  statu- 


THE  APOCALYPSE.  257 

ary,  music  and  paintings  which  have  attracted  mul- 
titudes to  the  idolatry,  superstition  and  harlotry  of 
antichristian  Rome,  emphatically  proclaims  the  utter 
and  perpetual  desolation  of  papal  Kome.  The  lan- 
guage is  borrowed  from  Isa.  xxiv.  8;  Jer.  xxv.  10; 
Ezek.  xxvi.  13. — Her  merchants  being  the  "great 
men  of  the  earth,"  and  the  *' sorceries"  by  which 
the  nations  were  deceived,  very  plaiidy  indicate  the 
successful  traffic  of  the  "mother  of  harlots,'' — the 
church  of  Rome. 

24.  And  in  her  was  found  the  blood  of  prophets  and  of  saints, 
and  of  all  that  were  sbtin  upon  the  earth. 

V.  24. — When  the  Lord  "maketh  inquisition  for 
blood,"  the  "blood  of  all  that  ^^ere  slain  upon  the 
earth," — for  Chrhth  sake,  will  be  found  in  the  skirts 
of  this  Jezebel.  Papal  Rome  has  shed  more  innocent 
blood  than  pagan  Rome;  than  Babylon,  Tyre  and 
Egypt;  and  by  her  relentless  cruelty  to  "prophets 
and  saints,"  ministers  and  members  of  the  witnessing 
church,  she  has  endorsed  all  the  murderous  persecu- 
tions from  Abel  down  to  the  present  day.  (Luke  xi. 
50,  51;  Acts  vii.  52.) — Now  when  we  contemplate 
in  the  light  of  prophecy,  confirmed  by  authentic  his- 
tory, the  numberless,  aggravated  and  long-continued 
crimes  of  Babylon  the  great,  her  pride,  (v.  7,)  her 
cruelty,  (v.  3,)  her  luxury,  her  tyranny,  her  idolatry, 
her  fornication,  her  impenitence  in  all, — can  we  hesi- 
tate to  acquiesce  in  the  righteousness  of  her  final 
doom,  or  to  join  in  the  plaudits  of  the  saints  in  the 
next  chapter? 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

1.  And  after  these  things,  I  heard  a  great  voice  of  much 
people  in  heaven,  saying,  Alleluia  ;  Salvation,  and  glory,  and 
noncur,  and  power,  unto  the  Lord  our  God: 


258  NOTES    ON 

2.  For  true  and  righteous  are  his  judgments:  for  he  hath 
judged  the  great  whore,  which  did  corrupt  the  earth  with  her 
fornication,  and  hath  avenged  the  blood  of  his  servants  at  her 
hand. 

3.  And  again  they  said.  Alleluia.  And  her  smoke  rose  up 
for  ever  and  ever. 

4.  And  the  four  and  twenty  elders  and  the  four  beasts  fell 
down  and  worshipped  God  that  sat  on  the  throne,  saying. 
Amen;  Alleluia. 

Vs.  1-4. — The  frequent  repetition  of  the  Hebrew 
word  "Alleluia"  in  this  chapter,  may  perhaps  be  an 
intimation  of  something  which  special]  j  relates  to  the 
Jews.  The  perpetuity  of  the  covenant  made  with 
Abraham,  renewed  to  Isaac,  and  confirmed  to  Jacob, 
(Ps.  cv.  9,  10,)  is  clearly  taught  in  the  Scriptures. 
(Gen.  xvii.  7;  Acts  ii.  39;  Rom.  iv.  13;  Gal.  iii. 
14,  29.) 

It  has  been  already  intimated,  (ch.  xi.  15,)  that  at 
the  sounding  of  the  seventh  trumpet,  "there  were 
great  voices  in  heaven,  saying,  The  kingdoms  of  this 
world  are  become  the  hii^gdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of 
his  Christ;  and  he  (Christ,)  shall  reign  for  ever  and 
ever."  Beholding  the  overthrow  of  Babylon,  all  the 
people  of  God  were  invited,  (ch.  xviii.  20,)  to  "re- 
joice over  her,"  for  her  downfall  was  effected  under 
the  last  trumpet  and  vial.  With  that  invitation  the 
saints  here  joyfully  com.ply.  ^'•3Iuch  people  in  hea- 
ven,'' implies  a  great  augmentation  of  their  number, 
and  as  "heaven''  signifies  the  church  on  earth,  we 
are  warranted  to  expect  a  rapid  increase  of  her  mem- 
bership as  the  consequence  of  the  sounding  of  the 
seventh  trumpet. — At  the  pouring  out  of  the  third 
vial,  (ch.  xvi.  7,)  the  angel  of  the  altar  said,  "True 
and  righteous  are  thy  judgments."  The  very  same 
sentiment  is  repeated  here  by  the  "much  people," — 
all  the  saints.  Thus  the}''  recognise  the  faithfulness 
and  justice  of  God,  as  he  heard  and  answered  the 
cry  of  the  "souls  under  the  altar;''  (ch.  vi.  9,  10,) 


TllE    APOCALYPili].  251) 

for  he  had  now  *''aveaged  their  blood''  and  that  of 
their  "brethren  that  had  been  killed  as  they  were," 
upon  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth, — the  population 
of  mystic  Babylon.  (Ps.  cxxxvii.  8,  9.)  ''And  again 
they  said,  Allelulia ;  and  her  smoke  rose  up  for  ever 
and  ever,"  like  that  of  Sodom.  In  all  this,  the  mi- 
nistry and  members  of  the  whole  church  cordially 
join,  adding  their  hearty  and  solemn  "Amen!'' 

For  this  protracted  joy  and  exulting  praise,  two 
causes  seem  to  be  in  operation,  God's  judgment  on 
Babylon,  and  his  mercy  on  Zion.  Both  are  matter 
of  praise.  (Ps.  ci.  1.) 

5.  And  a  voice  came  out  of  the  throne,  saying,  Prfiise  our 
God,  all  ye  his  servants,  and  ye  that  fear  him,  both  small  and 
great. 

6.  And  I  heard  as  it  were  the  voice  of  a  great  multitude,  and 
as  the  voice  of  many  waters,  and  as  the  voice  of  mighty  thmi- 
derings,  saying,  Alleluia:  for  the  Lord  God  Omnipotent reign- 
eth. 

7.  Let  us  be  glad  and  rejoice,  and  give  honour  to  him;  for 
tho  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come,  and  his  wife  hath  made 
herself  ready. 

8.  And  to  her  was  granted,  that  she  should  be  arrayed  in 
fine  linen,  clean  and  white;  for  the  fine  linen  is  the  righteous- 
ness of  saints. 

9.  And  he  saith  unto  me,  Write,  Blessed  are  they  which 
are  called  unto  the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb.  And  he 
saith  unto  me,  These  are  the  true  sayings  of  God. 

Vs.  5-9. — This  happy  company  are  called  upon 
to  renew  their  song.  The  call  seems  to  come  from 
some  one  who  is  authorized  to  speak  with  authority, 
"out  of  the  throne."  All  the  servants  of  God  are 
invited,  and  all  appear  to  respond,  "a  great  multi- 
tude.'' This  is  the  most  animated  of  all  the  exam- 
ples of  praise  recorded  in  this  book.  It  is  compared 
to  the  rushing  of  waters  down  a  cataract,  as  the  roar- 
ing of  the  sea,  or  the  rolling  of  thunder  in  the  hea- 
vens. It  is  indeed  the  "voice  of  them  that  shout 
for  mastery," — and  "  all  the  people  shout   with  a 


260  NOTES  ox 

great  shout,  for  the  Lord  hath  given  them  the  city," — 
''Alleluia,  upraise  ye  the  Lord^  for  the  Lord  God  om- 
nipotent reisneth."  "Thou  wilt  perform  the  truth 
to  Jacob,  and  the  mercy  to  Abraham,  which  thou  hast 
sworn  unto  our  fathers  from  the  days  of  old.'' — 
These  joyful  victors  encourage  each  other  to  prolong 
their  acclamations: — "Let  us  be  glad  and  rejoice,'* 
....  "for  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come:''  and 
what  can  that  be,  but  the  recalling  of  the  Jews? 
This  is  the  day  of  our  New  Testament  Solomon's 
espousals,  and  the  day  of  the  gladness  of  his  heart. 
(Song  iii.  IL) — Not  only  the  Jews,  but  the  great 
majority  of  professing  Christians  during  the  1260 
years  of  Antichrist's  usurpations,  have  refused  to 
"submit  themselves  to  the  righteousness  of  God.'' 
(Rom.  X.  3.)  The  kings  of  the  earth  also  have 
fostered  the  pride  and  profligacy  of  the  great  whore, 
instead  of  the  bride  of  the  Lamb.  The  lewd  woman, 
and  the  woman  in  the  wilderness  hitherto,  are  now 
to  be  distinguished.  As  their  character  and  conduct 
are  different,  so  is  their  raiment.  The  gaudy  and 
splendid  attire  of  the  former,  is  in  striking  contrast 
with  that  of  the  latter;  which  is  that  of  a  "woman 
professing  godliness,"  (ch.  xvii.  4;  1  Tim.  ii.  10.)  — 
"To  her  was  granted," — Precious  words;  for  the 
"Lamb's  wife  of  herself  was  utterly  destitute,  (ch. 
iii.  17.)  The  Jews,  in  the  day  of  their  Messiah's 
power,  (Psa.  ex.  3,)  convinced  of  the  law  as  trans- 
gressors, will  be  brought  to  adopt  the  language  of 
their  own  prophet,  (Is.  Ixi.  10;)  "he  hath  clothed 
me  with  the  garments  of  salvation,  he  hath  covered 
me  with  the  robe  of  righteousness."  The  righteous- 
ness of  Christ  imputed  for  justification,  and  the  Spi- 
rit of  Christ  imparted  for  sanctification,  together  with 
good  works,  the  visible  evidence  of  both,  will  consti- 
tute the  "fine  linen,  clean  and  white,  which  is  the 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  261 

righteousness  of  saints."  This  is,  after  all,  a  more 
coatly^  as  well  as  more  comely  attire,  than  that  of 
the  mother  of  harlots.  (Ps.  xlv.  13,  14.)— "And  he 
saith.'' — That  is,  saj  some,  the  angel,  (ch.  xvii.  1, 
7 ;  or  ch.  xviii.  1 ;)  but  we  are  rather  to  view  him 
as  the  same  who  brings  all  these  messages  from 
Christ  to  the  apostle,  (ch.  i.  1.)  The  angel  pro- 
nounces those  "blessed  who  are  called  to  the  mar- 
riage supper  of  the  Lamb." — In  the  beginning  of  the 
New  Testament  dispensation,  the  invitation  was  to  a 
dinner.  (Matt.  xxii.  4.)  The  day  will  have  been  far 
spent  at  the  sounding  of  the  seventh  trumpet,  when 
Jews  and  Gentiles  are  called  to  this  supper.  It  will 
be  the  \2ist  great  feast  of  the  church  militant.  But  w^ho 
shall  live  to  partake  of  the  banquet?  The  angel 
gives  his  solemn  attestation  to  "these  sayings." 

10.  And  I  fell  at  his  feet  to  worship  him.  And  he  said  unto 
me,  See  thou  do  it  not;  I  am  thy  fellow- servant,  and  of  thy 
brethren  that  have  the  testimony  of  Jesus.  Worship  God  :  for 
the  testimony  of  Jesus  is  the  spirit  of  prophecy. 

V.  10. — This  is  a  surprising  incident, — an  aged, 
experienced  and  holy  man,  an  apostle,  "falling  down 
to  worship  the  angel!''  And  we  are  told  that  he 
relapsed  into  the  same  sin,  (ch.  xxii.  8,  9.)  Like 
Peter  on  the  mount,  who  "wist  not  what  to  say;''  or 
Paul  in  the  *Hhird  heaven  ....  whether  in  the  body 
or  out  of  the  body,  he  could  not  tell."  (Mark  ix.  6; 
2  Cor.  xii.  3.)  John  had  become  overpowered  by  the 
visions  and  transported  by  the  high  praises  which  he 
saw  and  heard.  The  like  effects  were  experienced 
by  Daniel,  (viii.  18;  x.  8,  17.) — This  sin  of  idolatry 
by  the  apostle  was  doubtless  permitted  by  the  Lord, 
in  order  to  furnish  occasion  for  a  testimony  from  the 
angel,  against  the  "voluntary  humility  and  worship- 
ping of  angels,''  (Col.  ii.  18  ;)  practised  by  the  Pa- 
pists, and  to  leave  them  without  excuse. — The  abrupt 


262  NOTES    ON 

language  of  the  angel  in  this  and  a  subsequent  case, 
is  strongly  expressive  of  resentment: — "See — not." 
Such  is  the  curt^  sententious  utterance  in  the  Greek 
text.  He  assigns  the  best  reason  and  strongest  ar- 
gument against  idolatry: — "lam  thy  fellow-servant," 
a  creature  as  well  as  yourself:  we  are  servants  of  one 
Lord,  who  alone  is  the  object  of  our  devotion,  "Wor- 
ship God.''  This  is  the  best  counsel,  enforced  by 
the  most  cogent  reasoning, — "For  the  testimony  of 
Jesus  is  the  Spirit  of  prophecy."  This  sentence 
may  be  read, — "The  Spirit  of  prophecy  is  the  testi- 
mony of  Jesus;"  and  it  will  be  equally  true.  "To 
him  give  all  the  prophets  witness,''  (Acts  x.  43;)  for 
"the  Spirit  of  Christ  was  in  them;"  (1  Pet.  i.  11;) 
and  this  fact  is  well  known  to  holy  angels.  (Eph.  iii. 
10;  1  Pet.  i.  12.)     So  this  angel  plainly  declares. 

11.  And  I  saw  heaven  opened,  and,  behold,  a  white  horse: 
and  he  that  sat  upon  him  was  called  Faithful  and  True:  and 
in  righteousness  he  doth  jnHge  and  make  war. 

12.  His  eyes  were  as  a  fla  ne  of  fire,  and  on  his  head  were 
many  crowns:  and  he  had  a  name  written,  that  no  man  knew 
but  he  himself. 

13.  And  he  was  clothed  with  a  vesture  dipped  in  blood: 
and  his  name  is  called  The  Yv'ord  of  God. 

14.  And  the  armies  which  were  in  heaven  followed  him 
upon  white  horses,  clothed  in  fine  linen,  wiiite  and  clean. 

15.  And  out  of  liis  mouth  goetli  a  sharp  SAVord,  that  with 
it  lie  should  smite  the  nations,  and  he  shall  rule  them  with  a 
rod  of  iron:  and  he  treadeth  the  wine-press  of  the  fierceness 
and  wrath  of  Almighty  God. 

16  And  he  hath  on  his  vesture,  and  on  his  thigh  a  name 
written,  king  of  kings,  and  lord  of  lokds. 

Vs.  11-16. — "Heaven  opened"  once  more,  allows 
the  apostle  to  look  upon  Messiah  the  Prince  going 
forth  to  fresh  conquests.  As  he  began,  (ch.  vi.  2,) 
so  he  continues,  "in  righteousness  to  judge  and  make 
war;''  not  as  the  ambitious  tyrants  v/ho  "destroy  the 
earth,''  (ch.  xi.  18.)  He  has  here  three  names, — 
"Faithful  and  True,  The  Word  of  God,  king  of  kings 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  263 

and  Lord  of  lords;  yet  he  has  a.  'Mmme  written  wliich 
no  mail  knoweth  hut  he  liiinself.'' — His  infinite  es- 
sence and  eternal  generation  are  iiicoinprehensible 
by  angels  and  men. — He  is,  however,  known  by  his 
mediatorial  titles, — "faithful  and  true"  to  all  cove- 
nant engagements;  as  the  prophet  of  the  church,  he 
"declares  the  Father,"  making  known  the  "word  of 
God;''  and  his  lordship  is  at  once  a  warning  to  his 
enemies  and  security  to  his  friends. — "On  his  head 
were  many  crowns,''  emblematical  of  his  numerous 
victories  over  the  princes  of  the  earth,  especially  the 
"ten  kings,''  (ch.  xvii.  14.) — "His  eyes  as  a  flame 
of  fire,''  going  though  the  whole  earth  "in  every 
place,''  (Prov.  xv.  8;)  render  it  impossible  for  his 
enemies  to  elude  discovery.  (Jer.  xxiii.  24.) — His 
"vesture  dipped  in  blood,''  refers  to  his  victories 
over  all  his  malicious  and  impenitent  foes.  (Is.  Ixiii. 
1-3;  Rev.  xiv.  20.) — His  "armies  on  white  horses, 
clothed  in  fine  linen,  white  and  clean,"  are  uniformed 
like  their  leader,  ..(ch.  xii.  7;)  for  "they  that  are 
with  him  are  called,  and  chosen,  and  faithful,''  (ch. 
xvii.  14.) — The  weapon  with  which  he  "smites  the 
nations''  that  oppose  him,  is  the  "sharp  sword,"  an 
emblem  of  his  ruinous  and  avenging  justice;  for  he 
"tradeth  the  wine-press  of  the  fierceness  and  wrath 
of  Almiglky  God." — "On  his  thigh,"  wdiere  he  w^ears 
his  sword,  there  is  a  legible  inscription,  indicating 
his  universal  and  risrhful  authority. 

17.  And  I  saw  an  angel  standing  in  the  sun;  and  he  cried 
with  alond  voice,  saying  to  all  the  fowls  that  tly  in  the  midbt 
of  heaven,  Come  and  gather  3'ourselves  together  unto  the 
supper  of  the  great  God; 

18.  That  ye  may  eat  the  flesh  of  kings,  anl  the  flesh  of 
captains,  and  the  fle.>h  of  mighty  men,  aad  the  ;i  -sii  of  horses 
and  of  them  that  sit  on  them,  and  the  flrsh  of  all  men,  both 
free  and  bond,  both  small  and  great. 

VJ.  And  I  saw  the  beast,  and  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and 


264  NOTES   ON 

their  armies,  gathered  together  to  make  war  against  him  that 
sat  on  the  horse,  and  against  his  army. 

20.  And  the  beast  was  taken,  and  with  him  the  false  prophet 
that  wrought  miracles  before  him,  with  which  he  deceived 
them  that  had  received  the  mark  of  the  beast,  and  them  that 
worshipped  his  image.  These  both  were  cast  alive  into  a  lake 
of  fire,  burning  with  brimstone. 

21.  And  the  remnant  were  slain  with  tie  sword  of  him  that 
sat  upon  the  horse,  which  sword  proceeded  out  of  his  mouth: 
and  all  the  fowls  were  filled  with  their  flesh. 

Vs.  17-21. — The  position  of  the  "angel  standing 
in  the  sun,"  and  "crying  with  a  loud  voice;''  repre- 
sents, that  Messiah's  judgments  would  be  visible  to 
all  the  world;  and  the  extent  of  the  invitation  to 
the  "fowls,"  indicates  the  vast  slaughter  of  his  ene- 
mies. Babylon  being  "utterly  burned  with  fire," 
(ch.  xvii.  16,  xviii.  8,)  as  a  suitable  punishment  of 
an  apostate  church;  the  "flesh  of  kings,  of  captains, 
of  mighty  men,"  etc.,  as  a  sacrifice  to  divine  justice, 
is  given  as  a  feast  to  the  fowls  of  heaven.  The  al- 
lusion here  is  to  the  destruction  of  "  Gog  and  Ma- 
gog." (Ezek.  xxxix.  17-20.)  These  enemies  of  the 
saints  are  to  appear  and  be  overthrown  before  the 
millennium;  and  although  John  borrows  the  names 
of  these  enemies,  (ch.  xx.  8,)  they  are  not  the  same 
as  those  of  Ezekiel ;  the  one  appearing  before,  the 
other  after  the  thousand  years.  We  have  often 
found  the  enemies  of  the  church  called  in  the  iVpoca- 
lypse  by  the  names  of  persecutors  under  the  Old 
Testament ; — Babylon,  Egypt,  etc. — We  may  consider 
the  "fowls,''  the  birds  of  prey,  as  symbolizing  the 
kings  who  retaliate  upon  Babylon;  (as  in  ch.  xvii. 
16;)  or  rather,  as  the  Lord's  people  reclaiming  their 
own,  of  which  they  had  been  unjustly  and  long  de- 
prived,— "spoiling  the  Egyptians."  (Exod.  xii.  36.) 

Some  suppose  that  the  confederacy  of  the  "kings 
of  the  earth''  with  the  beast,  (v.  19,)  is  a  distinct 
attack  from  that  mentioned  in  chapter  seventeenth ; 


IHE    ArOCALYPSE.  2(>0 

(v.  14;)  but  perhaps  it  is  safer  to  consider  it  as 
the  same,  only  more  distinctly  and  fully  exhibited 
here.  Indeed  it  seems,  from  the  agency  of  the 
^' false  prophet,"  to  be  the  same  event  as  that  under 
the  sixth  vial,  (ch.  xvi.  14;)  preparing  to  the  battle 
of  Armageddon.  The  Lord  Jesus,  as  "captain  of 
the  Lord's  hosts,"  and  the  army  of  heaven  following 
him,  all  of  them  on  white  horses,  appear  to  be  on 
the  one  side;  and  the  beast  with  the  kings  of  the 
earth,  instigated  by  the  false  prophet,  on  the  other. 
The  rank  and  file,  like  their  leaders,  are  described 
as  having  *' received  the  mark  of  the  beast  and  wor- 
shipped his  image.''  But  the  beast  of  the  earth, 
(ch.  xiii.  11,)  causes  all  ranks  to  receive  the  mark, 
and  worship  the  image  of  the  beast,  (vs.  15,  16.) 
The  beast  of  the  earth,  the  woman,  and  the  false 
prophet,  all  mean  the  same  thing;  and  that  is,  an 
apostate  church  in  alliance  with  tyrannical  civil  pow- 
ers, (ch.  xvii.  3.)  Now,  if  the  great  city  Babylon,  a 
symbol  which  comprises  the  whole  antichristian  con- 
federacy, has  been  utterly  destroyed,  as  appears  in 
the  eighteenth  chapter,  whence  come  these  enemies, 
bearing  the  same  characters.^  The  only  solution  of 
this  apparent  difficulty  is  by  supposing,  as  we  have 
done,  that  this  is  a  re-exhibition  of  what  has  been 
more  obscurely  symbolized,  (ch.  xiv.  20;  xvi.  17; 
xvii.  16;  xviii.  2,  8,  20,)  in  order  more  distinctly  to 
point  out  the  end  of  two  principal  leaders, — the 
"beast  and  the  false  prophet,"  the  empire  and  church 
of  Rome.  "These  both  were  cast  alive  into  a  lake 
of  fire  burning  with  brimstone." — "The  remnant 
were  slain.''  When  the  leaders  were  discomfited, 
the  ranks  were  soon  broken,  and  the  whole  army 
melted  away.  They  were  slain  with  Messiah's  sword, 
the  emblem  of  his  justice,  (ch.  i.  16.) 

Thus  "Babylon  is  fallen,  to  rise  no  more  at  all:'' 


266  NOTES    ON 

all  the  visible  enemies  of  the  Lord  and  his  Anointed 
are  cut  off  from  the  face  of  the  earth:  and  it  remains 
only  that  he  who  originated  the  rebellious  conspiracy 
be  put  under  necessary  restraint. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

1.  And  I  saw  an  angel  come  down  from  heaven,  having  the 
key  of  the  bottomless  pit.  and  a  great  chain  in  his  hand. 

'L  And  he  laid  hold  on  the  dragon,  that  old  serpent,  which 
is  the  devil,  ar.d  Satan,  and  bound  him  a  thousand  years. 

3.  And  cast  him  into  the  bottomless  pit,  and  shut  him  up, 
and  set  a  seal  upon  him,  that  he  should  deceive  the  nations 
no  more,  till  the  thousand  years  should  be  fulfilled:  and  after 
that,  he  must  be  loosed  a  little  season. 

Vs.  1-3. — ''And  I  saw  an  angel.''  This  angel  is 
the  Lord  Christ,  (ch.  x.  1.)  The  key  is  the  symbol 
of  authority.  (Is.  xxii.  22;  chs.  i.  18;  iii.  7.)  The 
dragon  had  been  previously  cast  down  from  heaven, 
(ch.  xii.  9;)  by  the  Reformation,  and  during  the 
*' short  time''  of  his  liberty,  he  persecuted  the  woman 
and  the  remnant  of  her  seed,  on  the  earth.  Now, 
however,  his  career  is  arrested.  "Seizing,  binding, 
casting  into  the  abyss,  shutting  up,  and  setting  a 
seal  upon  that  old  serpent,"  (ch.  xii.  9,)  are  strong 
figurative  expressions,  by  which  his  secure  confine- 
ment is  signified.  Thus  is  the  devil  to  be  restrained 
from  deceiving  the  nations  for  a  "thousand  years.'' 
That  this  period  is  to  be  taken  in  a  proper,  and  not 
in  a  mystical  sense,  appears  thus.  If  we  multiply 
one  thousand  by  three  hundred  and  sixty,  as  some 
fancifully  do,  the  resulting  number  of  years,  three 
hundred  and  sixty  thousand,  would  be  out  of  all  pro- 
portion to  the  past  duration  of  the  world,  as  well  as 
the  well-defined  period  of  1260  years.     Add  to  this, 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  2G7 

that  when  by  Daniel  and  John  definite  duration  is 
symbolically  mentioned,  it  is  by  "  months,  days ; 
time,  times  and  a  half  a  time,''  or  "  the  dividing  of 
time,'' — never  by  "years." 

At  the  expiration  of  the  thousand  years,  Satan 
will  be  loosed  a  "little  season," — little,  as  compared 
with  the  thousand  years;  so  little,  as  not  to  be 
deemed  worth  estimating. 

4.  And  I  saw  thrones,  and  they  sat  upon  them,  and  judg- 
ment was  given  unto  them:  and  1  saw  the  souls  of  them  that 
were  beheaded  for  the  witness  of  Jesus,  and  for  the  word  of 
God,  and  which  had  not  worshipped  the  beast,  neither  his 
image,  neither  had  received  his  mark  upon  their  foreheads, 
or  in  their  hands:  and  they  lived  and  reigned  with  Christ  a 
thousand  years. 

V.  4. — "And  I  saw  thrones.''  Here  there  is  no 
mention  of  heaven  being  opened.  Nothing  hence- 
forth obstructs  John's  vision.  "The  darkness  is 
past,  and  the  true  light  now  shineth.'' — "At  evening 
time  it  shall  be  light."  (Zech.  xiv.  7.) — "And  they 
sat  on  them."  Who? — There  is  here  what  may  be 
termed  a  remarkable  chasm  in  the  language  of  the 
text.  There  is  no  visible  or  proximate  antecedent. 
Who  are  they  who  "sit  on  thrones?"  Did  Millina- 
rians  only  put  this  question,  and  patiently  search 
for  the  solution  in  the  context,  agreeably  to  the  alle- 
gorical texture  of  this  whole  book,  all  their  halluci- 
nations might  be  easily  and  happily  obviated.  The 
inspired  writer  assumes,  of  course,  that  the  reader 
will  readily  identify  these  persons,  who  are  thus  pro- 
moted to  honour,  now  that  Antichrist  is  no  more, 
and  society  is  to  be  reorganized. — Daniel  furnishes 
a  satisfactory  answer  to  our  question.  "I  beheld 
till  the  thrones  were  cast  down.''  (Dan.  vii.  9.)  The 
Roman  imperial  thrones  of  civil  despotism  were  sub- 
verted. Again, — "But  the  judgment  shall  sit,  and 
they  shall  take  away  his  dominion,  to  consume  and 


268  NOTES    ON 

to  destroy  it  unto  the  end."  (v.  26.)  The  Roman 
imperial  throne  of  ecclesiastical  domination  shall  be 
destroyed.  Then  when  Messiah  "shall  have  put 
down  all  rule,  and  all  authority  and  power,''  of  both 
sorts  of  tyranny,  "the  kingdom  and  dominion,  and 
the  greatness  of  the  kingdom  under  the  whole  hea- 
ven, shall  be  given  to  the  people  of  the  saints  of  the 
Most  High,  w^hose  kingdom  is  an  everlasting  king- 
dom, and  all  dominions,  (rulers)  shall  serve  and  obey 
him,"  (v.  27.)  The  "saints  of  the  Most  High,''  ac- 
cording to  Daniel,  are  to  be  exalted  to  civil  rule,  and 
these  are  the  same  whom  John  saw  "sitting  on 
thrones.''  Now,  the  effect  of  the  seventh  trumpet 
becomes  a  fact  in  history. — "The  kingdoms  of  this 
world,"  which  had  been  controlled  by  the  beast,  and 
bet  witched  by  the  sorceries  of  the  lewd  woman, 
"are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of  his 
Christ.'' — For  in  the  millennial  state  of  the  world, 
there  will  be  ?i  plurality  of  kingdoms. — Hence  a  very 
common  petition  of  pious  but  ignorant  people, — 
"That  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  may  soon  become 
the  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ," 
neither  will,  nor  ever  can  be  answered. — Under  the 
righteous  and  benign  administration  of  the  saints, 
"kings  shall  be  nursing-fathers,  and  their  queens 
nursing-mothers  to  the  church:"  for  "the  nations 
and  kingdoms  that  would  not  serve  her^  have  perished ; 
yea,  those  nations  have  been  utterly  wasted."  (Is. 
xlix.  23;  Ix.  12.)  —  The  souls  which  the  apostle 
saw  under  the  altar,  whose  cry  for  vengeance  he 
heard,  and  who  were  directed  to  rest  for  a  little  sea- 
son, till  the  roll  of  their  martyred  brethren  should 
be  completed,  are  here  presented  in  quite  a  new  po- 
sition, "sitting  on  thrones,''  (ch.  vi.  9.)  Although 
they  are  not  the  same  identical  persons  physically^ 
they  are  the  same  morally;  for  the  life  of  the  two 


THE  APOCALYPSE.  269 

witnesses  is  commensurate  with  the  reign  of  Anti- 
christ,— twelve  hundred  and  sixty  years.  These 
*' lived  and  reigned  with  Christ  a  thousand  years;  that 
is,  in  their  successive  generations:  for  otherwise  they 
would  over-live  the  age  of  Methuselah ! — Souls  are 
here  evidently  persons,  and  not  souls  as  distinct  from 
bodies,  as  some  needlessly  argue  against  Millenarians : 
for  *' foreheads"  and  *' hands''  are  attributed  to  them: 
but  foreheads  cannot  be  literally  ascribed  to  those 
who  had  been  "beheaded.''  Their  living  is  to  be 
understood  of  their  succeeding  to  the  same  scriptural 
position  occupied  by  their  predecessors,  as  well  as 
succeeding  them  in  the  order  of  natural  generation. 
The  Holy  Spirit  says,  "Levi,  who  receiveth  tithes, 
paid  tithes  in  Abraham."  (Heb.  vii.  9,  10.)  Elijah 
reappeared  in  the  person  of  John  the  Baptist.  (Matt. 
xi.  14.)  Jezebel  and  Balaam  were  recognised  in  their 
wicked  successors,  (ch.  ii.  14,  20.)  But  this  is  the 
very  structure  of  the  Apocalypse,  being  composed  of 
hieroglyphics,  that  the  free  agency  of  the  wicked  might 
be  left  untrammelled,  and  the  diligence  of  God's  peo- 
ple might  be  tested  in  "searching  the  Scriptures." 

5.  But  the  rest  of  the  dead  lived  not  again  until  the  thousand 
years  were  finished.     This  is  the  first  resurrection. 

V.  5. — "  The  rest  of  the  dead  "  supposes  two  classes 
of  the  dead.  These  are  the  witnesses,  who  died  a 
violent  and  cruel  death,  and  the  wicked,  who  died  a 
natural  death, — there  "were  no  bands  in  their  death." 
As  there  are  two  kinds  of  death,  so  are  there  two 
kinds  of  resurrection, — a  first  and  second  of  each. 
Those  who  had  been  "beheaded  for  the  witness  of 
Jesus,''  etc.,  lived  in  their  successors, — sat  on  thrones, 
reigned  with  Christ  a  thousand  years.  Of  course 
those  who  were  slain  by  Christ  and  his  army  at  the 
battle  of  Armageddon,  and  whose  flesh  was  given  to 
the  fowls  of  heaven,  "lived  not  again''  in  their  sac- 
19 


270  NOTES   ON 

cessors,  "until  the  thousand  years  were  finished." 
Consequently,  "this  is  the  first  resurrection,''  with 
which  the  true  disciples  of  Christ  shall  be  honoured. 
They  must,  however,  die  as  all  others,  and  await  the 
second  resurrection:  but  *'on  them  the  second  death 
shall  have  no  power." 

6.  Bleshed  and  holy  is  be  that  hath  part  in  the  first  resurrec- 
tion; on  such  the  second  death  hath  no  power;  but  they  shall 
be  priests  of  God  and  of  Christ,  and  shall  reign  with  him  a 
thousand  years. 

V.  6. — "Blessed  and  holy," — and  blessed,  because 
Jioly;  for  sin  is  the  procuring  cause  of  misery.  This 
is  a  summary  description  of  the  millennial  period. 
The  dragon  being  bound  by  the  almighty  power  of 
Christ,  and  not  permitted  to  deceive  the  nations, 
Avars  shall  cease  unto  the  ends  of  all  the  earth :  the 
population  of  the  globe  must  be  rapidly  and  greatly 
multiplied  beyond  all  precedent.  (Ps.  xlvi.  9;  Ixxii. 
16,)  the  life  of  man  will  be  prolonged;  (Isa.  Ixv. 
20-25,)  holiness,  righteousness  and  praise  shall  spring 
forth  before  all  the  nations,  (Ixi.  11.) 

That  condition  of  our  globe,  which  divines  call  the 
millennium, — a  state  of  holiness  and  happiness,  se- 
cond only  to  the  enjoyment  of  heavenly  felicity,  is  as 
clearly  and  frequently  promised  to  God's  people,  as 
the  promise  of  the  Messiah  was  under  the  former 
economy.  But  as  many  were  "in  expectation  that 
the  kingdom  of  God  should  immediately  appear,'' 
who  then  entertained  unwarrantable  and  carnal  con- 
ceptions of  the  Messiah's  person  and  reign,  just  such 
groundless  and  gross  expectations  and  aspirations 
are  cherished  now.  A  literal  resurrection  of  all  the 
righteous,  who  shall  have  died  before  the  millennium 
is  supposed  to  take  place  at  the  personal  appearance 
of  Christ;  and  this,  too,  before  the  general  judgment. 
By  'personal^  they  mean   corporeal:    for   the  Lord 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  271 

Christ  promised  his  gracious  'personal  presence  with 
his  people  all  days,  when  he  was  about  to  disappear 
from  their  bodily  vision.  (Matt,  xxviii.  20.)  "  To 
them  that  look  for  him  shall  he  appear  the  second 
time,  (not  a  third,)  without  sin  unto  salvation.''  (Heb. 
ix.  28 ;  Rev.  i.  7.)  Besides,  is  it  for  a  moment  sup- 
posable  that  saints  who  have  passed  into  glory,  are 
to  be  brought  upon  earth  to  conflict  once  more  with 
enemies,  when  Gog  and  Magog  shall  surround  the 
"camp  of  the  saints?"  Such  is  a  specimen  of  ques- 
tions suggested  by  the  Millenarian  system,  w^hich 
have  failed  of  either  scriptural  or  rational  solution 
by  all  the  learning  and  ingenuity  of  its  fanciful  ad- 
vocates. 

The  whole  series  of  the  Apocalypse  proves  that 
the  two  witnesses  live  and  prophesy  throughout  the 
1260  years  of  Antichrist's  reign.  Their  lives  and 
their  testimony  end  together,  (ch.  xi.  7.)  But  the 
beast  that  slays  them  is  himself  with  his  ally,  the 
false  prophet,  at  the  close  of  the  contest,  cast  alive 
into  the  lake  of  fire,  (ch.  xix.  20.) 

After  three  and  a  half  prophetical  days,  the  wit- 
nesses are  raised,  and  ascend  up  to  heaven,  (ch.  xi. 
12;)  and  this  is  the  identical  fact  which  is  more  fully 
presented  here  in  the  20th  chapter.  The  resurrec- 
tion of  the  witnesses  in  the  11th  chapter  is  a  spiri- 
tual and  mystical  resurrection  in  the  persons  of  their 
successors;  the  heaven  to  which  they  were  exalted  is 
a  mystical  heaven :  and  just  so  of  those  beheaded 
and  advanced,  after  their  resurrection,  to  positions 
of  civil  and  ecclesiastic  power  as  in  this  20th  chapter. 
'I'hus  exalted,  and  ruling  in  the  fear  of  God,  they 
become  a  terror  to  evil  doers,  and  a  praise  to  them 
that  do  well.  (Horn.  xiii.  3.)  Then  shall  be  realized 
the  glorious  predictions  of  Isaiah  and  the  Sweet 
Psalmist  of  Israel.  (Isa.  xi.  1-9;   Ps.  Ixxii.  1.) 


272  NOTES    ON 

7.  And  when  the  thousand  years  are  expired,  Satan  shall  be 
loosed  out  of  his  prison. 

8.  And  shall  go  out  to  deceive  the  nations  which  are  in  the 
four  quarters  of  the  earth,  Gog  and  Magog,  to  gather  them  to- 
gether to  battle:  the  number  of  whom  is  as  the  sand  of  the 
sea. 

9.  And  they  went  up  on  the  breadth  of  the  earth,  and  com- 
passed the  camp  of  the  saints  about,  and  the  beloved  city:  and 
fire  came  down  from  God  out  of  heaven,  and  devoured  them. 

Vs.  7-9. — *' Satan  shall  be  loosed  out  of  his  pri- 
son.''— The  Lord  Christ  will  remove  the  restraint 
which  had  repressed  the  chief  enemy  during  the 
thousand  years,  that  the  Faithful  and  True  Witness 
may  give  a  final  testimony  to  the  moral  universe, 
that  neither  the  philosophy  of  proud  man,  nor  the 
law  of  Moses, — no,  nor  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel, 
will  ever  change  the  nature  of  a  sinner: — That  nei- 
ther judgments  nor  mercies  have  any  efficacy  to  sub- 
due the  stubborn  will,  or  renew  the  desperately 
wicked  heart  of  man ;  and  that  it  is  a  righteous  thing 
with  God  to  render  tribulation  to  thei^,  that  trouble 
his  saints  and  insult  his  Majesty. 

Thus  released  *'for  a  little  season,''  the  prime  ene- 
my goes  out  as  before  to  "deceive  the  nations.''  He 
is  successful.  "  The  rest  of  the  dead,"  who  lived  not 
again  during  the  1000  years,  at  once  re-appear  in 
the  persons  of  their  genuine  successors.  They  are 
the  children  of  them  that  killed  the  witnesses; — the 
seed  of  the  serpent  aiming  a  last  fatal  stroke  at  the 
seed  of  the  woman. — They  are  called  "Gog  and  Ma- 
gog;'' and  because  of  the  identity  of  names,  many 
have  supposed  them  to  be  the  same  as  those  enemies 
of  the  people  of  God  described  by  Ezekiel,  (chs. 
xxxviii.,  xxxix.)  This  view  is,  however,  without 
sanction  in  the  Scriptures.  The  characters  are  mys- 
tical according  to  the  uniform  structure  of  the  Apo- 
calypse.    Ezekiel's  Gog  and  Magog  come  from  the 


TUB    APOCALYPSE.  273 

"north  quarters;"  those  of  John  from  the  "four 
quarters  or  corners  of  the  earth.''  It  is  also  proba- 
ble, if  not  absolutely  certain,  that  the  enemies  pre- 
dicted by  Ezekiel  are  to  appear  before,  while  those 
of  John  are  to  arise  after  the  millennium.  The  over- 
throw of  Gog  and  Magog,  foretold  by  Ezekiel,  is  evi- 
dently connected  with  the  conversion  of  the  Jews, 
(ch.  xxxix.  22,  29;)  but  that  event  must  precede  the 
millennial  period.  (Rom.  xi.  26.) — Magog  is  reck- 
oned with  Meshech  and  Tubal  among  the  sons  of 
Japheth,  (Gen.  x.  2;)  and  those  nations  called  in 
history  Scythians  and  Tartars,  in  the  "north  quar- 
ters" of  Europe  and  Asia,  as  well  as  the  "isles  of 
the  Gentiles,"  are  supposed  to  be  their  descendants. 
By  the  "three  unclean  spirits,"  (ch.  xvi.  13,)  a  con- 
federacy was  effected  under  the  sixth  vial  to  the  bat- 
tle of  Armageddon;  and  the  same  is  again  presented 
in  ch.  xix.  20,  as  the  final  attempt  against  the  saints 
previously  to  the  millennium,  when  two  of  the  prime 
instigators,  the  beast  and  the  false  prophet,  are  cast 
into  the  lake  of  fire.  Thus  we  may  suppose  eastern 
and  western  Antichrist  finally  destroyed. 

Ezekiel's  Gog  and  Magog  being  slain  in  the  battle 
of  Armageddon,  how  or  where  shall  we  find  those  of 
John?  They  are  to  be  found  precisely  on  the  same 
principle  on  which  we  find  the  witnesses  of  Christ  in 
this  chapter.  Satan  is  loosed  "a  little  season,'' — 
little  as  compared  with  the  thousand  years  of  Mes- 
siah's reign;  or  rather,  as  compared  with  the  1260 
years  of  the  dragon's  successful  enterprises  against 
the  saints  through  the  beast  and  false  prophet  as 
agents.  These  being  now  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire, 
Satan  is  for  ever  deprived  of  their  agency.  During 
the  millennial  period  people  will  be  born  in  sin  as  at 
other  times;  and  at  the  close  of  that  happy  period, 
Almighty  God  will  display  his  sovereignty  by  with- 


274  NOTES    ON 

liolding  his  grace,  that  a  last  demonstration  may  be 
given  to  all  the  world  of  the  necessity  and  efficacy 
of  that  grace  in  changing  the  heart  of  a  sinner. 
Without  the  intervention  of  the  beast  or  the  false 
prophet,  Satan  will  prevail  by  more  direct  tempta- 
tions to  gather  together  to  battle  a  multitude  of  the 
same  spirit  as  Ezekiel's  Gog  and  Magog  displayed 
against  the  saints  before  the  millennium.  These  are 
the  "rest  of  the  dead  that  lived  not  again  till  the 
one  thousand  years  were  finished.''  As  the  ''deadly 
wound''  of  the  civil  beast  "was  healed,"  and  he  re- 
ceived a  new  life,  to  the  astonishment  of  spectators, 
(ch.  xiii.  3,)  as  the  witnesses  received  "the  Spirit  of 
life  from  God,''  to  the  dismay  of  their  enemies;  (chs. 
xi.  11;  XX.  4,)  so  Gog  and  Magog  re-appear  in  the 
persons  and  bloody  cruelties  of  their  genuine  succes- 
sors. And  in  language  similar  to  that  in  the  context 
we  may  warrantably  say, — this  is  the  second  resur- 
rection; for  when  it  is  declared  that  the  "rest  of  the 
dead  lived  not  again,''  it  is  manifest  that  two  classes 
of  dead  are  intended.  All  are  said  to  be  dead;  the 
witnesses,  slain  by  the  beast;  their  enemies,  slain  by 
the  Lord.  The  witnesses  rise,  and  "this  is  the  first 
resurrection.''  A  first  implies  a  second  of  the  same 
kind.  Well,  "the  rest  lived  not  again  till  the  thou- 
sand years  were  finished.''  What  then?  Why,  sim- 
ply this, — that  the  other  remaining  class  of  the  dead 
lived  again;  and  this  appears  to  be  the  obvious  scope 
and  meaning  of  these  terms,  so  vexing  to  many  cri- 
tics. 

]^j  deception  Satan  prevails  to  assemble  the  na- 
tions in  vast  multitudes,  "as  the  sand  of  the  sea,'' — 
a  proverbial  form  of  expression  applied  to  Abraham's 
seed.  (Gen.  xxii.  17.)  "  They  went  up  on  the  breadth 
of  the  earth.''  Coming  from  the  "four  quarters  of 
the  earth,"  they  "compassed  the  camp  of  the  saints." 


THE  APOCALYPSE.  275 

The  allusion  here  is  twofold:  to  Israel  in  the  wilder- 
ness, in  the  time  of  Moses;  and  to  the  holy  city  Je- 
rusalem, in  the  days  of  David;  (Ps.  cxviii.  10-12,) 
for  often  did  the  enemy  with  "joint  heart''  attempt 
to  '*cut  off  the  name  of  Israel.''  (Ps.  Ixxxiii.  4-8.) 
Never  was  Pharaoh  or  Sennacherib  more  confident 
of  a  sure  and  easy  victory  over  the  saints.  (Exod. 
XV.  9;  Isa.  xxxvi.  20.)  As  in  the  days  of  Noah, 
most  of  the  generation  of  the  righteous  had  been 
taken  home  to  glory  before  the  ungodly  were  de- 
stroyed by  the  deluge,  so  we  may  suppose  the  "camp 
of  the  saints''  to  be  but  a  "little  flock,"  when  as- 
sailed for  the  last  time,  while  they  are  in  a  militant 
state. — The  issue  in  this  case,  however,  will  be  more 
decisive  and  glorious  than  any  other  battle  with  the 
powers  of  darkness.  We  may  adopt  and  apply  the 
words  of  the  prophet  to  God's  people  in  the  time  of 
Jehoshaphat: — "Thus  saith  the  Lord, — Be  not  afraid 
nor  dismayed  by  reason  of  this  great  multitude;  for 
the  battle  is  not  yours,  but  God's.  Ye  shall  not  need 
to  fight  in  this  battle."  (2  Chron.  xx.  15,  17.)— 
*'Fire  came  down  from  God  out  of  heaven,  and  de- 
voured" this  great  multitude.  This  most  dreadful 
of  all  elements  in  the  material  universe,  is  that  wdiich 
is  commonly  employed  to  represent  the  wrath  of  God. 
By  it  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  were  destroyed,  Corah 
and  his  rebellious  company,  the  captains  and  their 
fifties;  fire  proceeded  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  two 
witnesses  and  devoured  their  enemies;  Gog  and  Ma- 
gog are  consumed  by  this  element ;  the  heavens  and 
the  earth  which  are  now,  are  reserved  unto  fire;  the 
Lord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed  from  heaven  ....  in 
flaming  fire,  taking  vengeance  on  them  that  know 
not  God,  and  that  obey  not  the  gospel, — most  proba- 
bly these  very  enemies;  and  all  such  are  to  be  con- 
signed to  "  the  fire  that  never  shall  be  quenched." 


276  NOTES    ON 

Awful  thought !  Tremendous  destiny  !  Who  would 
not  fear  thee,  0  Lord;  who  art  a  consuming  fire  to 
all  thy  impenitent  enemies? 

10.  And  the  devil  that  deceived  them  was  cast  into  the  lake 
of  fire  and  brimstone,  where  the  beast  and  the  false  prophet 
are,  and  shall  be  tormented  day  and  night  for  ever  and  ever. 

V.  10. — The  ^^rs^  rebel  against  the  righteous  au- 
thority of  the  Lord  and  his  Anointed,  and  the  cease- 
less instigator  of  all  rebellions  of  individual  and  social 
man,  is  the  last  to  be  consigned  to  adequate  punish- 
ment. When  the  Lord  first  called  sinners  to  account, 
the  same  order  is  noticeable:  First,  Adam,  then  Eve, 
and  last  the  serpent.  The  beast  and  the  false  pro- 
phet are  already  in  the  lake  of  fire;  (ch.  xix.  20;) 
and  now,  Satan,  who  is  here  called  the  devil,  is  dis- 
missed after  them,  that  they  may  all  be  tormented 
"for  ever  and  ever," — words,  as  already  noticed, 
which  are  the  strongest  in  the  Greek  language,  to 
convey  to  the  human  mind  the  idea  of  endless  dura- 
tion. 

11.  And  I  saw  a  great  white  throne,  and  him  ,that  sat  on  it, 
from  whose  face  the  earth  and  the  heaven  fled  away;  and  there 
Was  found  no  place  for  them. 

12.  And  I  saw  the  dead,  small  and  great,  stand  before  God: 
and  the  books  were  opened;  and  another  book  was  opened, 
which  is  the  brok  of  life:  and  the  dead  were  judged  out  of 
those  things  w  hich  were  written  in  the  books  according  to 
their  works. 

13.  And  the  sea  gave  up  the  dead  which  were  in  it;  and 
death  and  hell  delivered  up  the  dead  which  were  in  them: 
and  they  were  judged  every  man  according  to  their  works. 

14.  And  death  and  hell  were  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire.  This 
is  the  second  death. 

15.  And  whosoever  was  not  found  written  in  the  book  of  life 
was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire. 

Vs.  11-15. — Nothing  now  remains  to  bring  to  a 

close  the  moral  administration  of  Messiah,  but  the 

raising  of  the  dead  and  pronouncing  final  sentence 

on  all  the  subjects  of  his  government.     There  is  no 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  277 

intimation  that  any  events  shall  intervene  between 
the  casting  of  the  devil  into  the  burning  lake,  and 
the  appearing  of  the  Judge. 

The  "great  white  throne"  is  suitable  to  the  ma- 
jesty and  holiness  of  the  Judge.  He  is  not  at  first 
called  by  any  name,  for  "every  eye  shall  see,"  and 
seeing,  recognise  his  divine  dignity.  In  the  next 
verse  he  is  styled  God,  not  to  identify  him,  but  as  a 
matter  of  course  in  the  narrative. — No  sooner  did  the 
Judge  take  his  seat,  than  "the  earth  and  the  heaven 
fled  away."  The  simplicity  and  sublimity  of  this 
language  are  inimitable  by  human  genius;  and  rarely 
if  at  all  equalled,  even  by  those  who  spake  as  they 
were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  first  inspired 
writer  uses  language  very  similar.  (Gen.  i.  3.)  We 
are  frequently  and  sufficiently  taught  that  the  Lord 
Christ  in  person  is  to  be  the  judge  of  quick  and  dead. 
(Acts  xvii.  31.)  "All  must  appear  before  the  judg- 
ment seat  of  Christ."  (2  Cor.  v.  10.)  No  person  is 
competent  to  this  work  of  judgment  but  one  who  is 
omniscient  and  omnipotent,  not  to  speak  of  other  di- 
vine perfections.  The  "Judge  of  ail  the  earth"  is  a 
divine  person,  possessed  of  all  the  attributes  of  deity; 
and  as  there  is  not  now  among  apostate  angels,  so 
there  will  not  then  be  a  child  of  Adam,  to  deny  the 
supreme  deity  of  Jesus  Christ.  (Matt.  viii.  29.)  Of 
this  he  gave  intimation  at  the  beginning  of  the  Apo- 
calypse:— "Every  eye  shall  see  him,  and  they  also 
which  pierced  him,''  (ch.  i.  7 ;)  yes,  they  pierced  him 
for  hlaspher)iy^  "because  that  he,  being  a  man,  made 
himself  God."  (John  x.  33.)  Here  the  Judge  on  the 
throne  demonstrates  to  an  assembled  universe,  the 
scriptural  warrant  for  the  language  of  the  Reformers 
when  they  say  he  is  "very  God,  and  very  man." 
"God  is  judge  himself,"  (Ps.  1.  6,)  in  the  person  of 
the  Father;  but  "he  hath  appointed  a  day  in  the 


278  NOTES    ON 

which  he  will  judge  the  world  in  righteousness,  by 
that  man  whom  he  hath  ordained.'' — (Acts  xvii.  31.) 

Before  the  righteous  Judge  ''shall  be  gathered  all 
nations,''  (Matt.  xxv.  32,)  all  that  have  ever  lived 
upon  the  earth,  from  the  creation  till  the  end  of  time, 
all  rankj  and  degrees,  however  diversified  by  sex, 
age,  or  social  position;  righteous  and  wicked,  Jews 
and  Gentiles,  Herod  and  Pontius  Pilate,  Cain  and 
Abel,  Judas,  etc. 

In  order  to  this  general  assize,  *'the  dead  shall 
hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God,''  (John  v.  25,  28, 
29;)  "and  many  of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the 
earth  shall  awake,  some  to  everlasting  life,  and  some 
to  shame  and  everlasting  contempt.''  (Dan.  xii.  2.) 
The  "sea,  death  and  hell,"  or  the  grave,  (or  rather, 
the  place  of  souls  as  separated  by  death  from  their 
bodies,)  which  are  thus  awfully,  but  beautifully  per- 
sonified, shall  surrender  their  respective  tenants, 
that  they  may  stand  before  the  Son  of  man  in  judg- 
ment.— Only  such  as  have  died  are  mentioned  here: 
but  some  will  not  die,  but  ''remain  alive  unto  the 
coming  of  the  Lord,"  the  judge;  and  these,  it  is  pro- 
bable, will  be  the  "camp  of  the  saints''  which  have 
been  miraculously  delivered  from  the  rage  of  Gog 
and  Magog,  (vs.  8,  9.)  There  is  a  beautiful  order 
in  the  final  resurrection.  "The  dead  in  Christ  shall 
rise  first."  (1  Thess.  iv.  16;  1  Cor.  xv.  23.)  Next 
will  be  raised  the  wicked;  for  "like  sheep  they  are 
laid  in  the  grave;  death  shall  feed  on  them,  and  the 
upright  shall  have  dominion  over  them  in  the  morn- 
ing." (Ps.  xlix.  14.)  The  dead,  being  all  raised, 
those  who  shall  be  alive  will  undergo  a  change  equi- 
valent to  death, — "in  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of 
an  eye;''  for  these  "shall  not  prevent  (anticipate) 
them  which  were  asleep;''  that  is,  they  will  not  be 
changed  until  their  companions  are  called  from  the 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  279 

grave,  etc.  All  being  now  "before  the  judgment  seat 
of  Christ," — the  "books  are  opened!''  Oh,  what  emo- 
tions will  swell  and  heave  the  bosoms  of  the  right- 
eous!— "joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory:"  for  be- 
fore the  sentence  of  acquittal  is  publicly  pronounced, 
their  position  on  the  Judge's  right  hand  indicates  the 
sentence.  And  next  what  terror  insupportable  will 
now  seize  the  wicked!  What  "fearful  lookino;-for  of 
judgment  and  fiery  indignation,"  when  in  breathless 
suspense,  they  await  the  just  sentence, —  "Depart 
from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for 
the  devil  and  his  angels!''  (Matt.  xxv.  41;  Heb.  x. 
27.)  The  righteousness  of  this  sentence  will  be  at- 
tested by  the  "opened  books," — of  the  divine  omnis- 
cience, the  human  conscience,  and  in  the  case  of 
gospel-rejecters,  the  Bible.  (2  Thess.  i.  7,  8.)  And 
the  like  condemnation  would  pass  upon  the  right- 
eous, but  that  "another  book  is  opened,''  in  which 
are  inscribed  the  names  of  all  the  objects  of  God's 
electing  love:  and  this  will  be  the  key-note  in  their 
songs  of  praise  to  all  eternity.  (Jer.  xxxi.  3;  Rev. 
i.  6.)  All  are  "judged  according  to  their  works,'' 
as  these  are  witnessed  by  the  books, — for  "their 
works  do  follow  them,"  (ch.  xiv.  13.) 

"Death  and  hell  were  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire." 
Death,  or  the  grave;  hell,  or  the  separate  state,  will 
never  again  be  needed,  as  prisons  to  keep  their  in- 
mates for  trial.  "The  lake  of  fire''  is  the  place  of 
ceaseless  and  endless  torment  for  all  who  are  not 
"found  written  in  the  book  of  life;"  and  this  place 
seems  to  be  distinct  from  the  "bottomless  pit,"  Sa- 
tan's "prison,''  out  of  which  he  had  been  loosed,  (v. 
7.) — Of  the  beast  it  was  said,  he  "ascendeth  out  of 
the  bottomless  pit,"  but  not  that  he  was  remanded 
thither  again:  he  is  said  to  "go  into  perdition," 
which  must  be  "the  lake  of  fire."  (Compare  ch.  xvii. 


280  NOTES    ON 

8,  with  xix.  20;  and  xx.  1-3  with  v.  10.) — The  plain 
and  obvious  meaning  of  these  closing  verses  of  the 
20th  chapter,  as  delineated  in  its  general  import  by 
appropriate  and  familiar  symbols  and  intelligible 
words,  for  ever  excludes,  and  emphatically  condemns 
the  conscience-stupifying  heresies  and  blasphemies 
of  Unitarians  and  Universalists.  The  God-man  Me- 
diator, seated  upon  the  *' throne  of  his  glory,"  before 
whose  face  the  "earth  and  the  heaven  fled  away,''  is 
thus  evidenced  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  Jehovah's  Fel- 
low. And  we  may  here  adopt  the  assertion  and  cau- 
tion of  the  "beloved  disciple," — "This  is  the  true 
God  and  eternal  life. — Little  children,  keep  your- 
selves from  idols."  (1  John  v.  20,  21.) — Moreover, 
these  verses  reveal  a  place  or  state,  more  to  be 
dreaded  than  the  "killing  of  the  body,'' — "the  lake 
of  fire,  which  is  the  second  death,''  "where  their 
worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched.''  (Matt. 
X.  28;  2  Thess.  i.  8-10;  Heb.  x.  26-31.) 

With  the  20th  chapter  of  the  Apocalypse  termi- 
nate the  events  of  time,  in  which  the  divine  Author 
demonstrates,  that  "known  unto  him  are  all  his 
works,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world."  (Acts  xv. 
18.)  Many,  indeed,  of  the  learned  and  pious  have 
supposed  the  remaining  chapters  of  the  Apocalypse, 
to  be  a  description  of  the  church  on  earth  during  the 
millennial  period.  But  besides  the  series,  coherence 
and  dependence  of  the  several  parts  of  the  book,  pre- 
cluding such  reti'ogression^  this  interpretation  over- 
throws the  scriptural  distinction  between  the  mili- 
tant and  triumphant  state  of  the  church.  And  it  is 
not  to  be  thought  out  of  place,  that  the  inspired  pro- 
phet should  describe,  by  suitable  emblems,  the  out- 
line of  the  heavenly  state;  for  this  he  has  done  brief- 
ly already  in  a  number  of  instances.  (See  chs.  ii. 
and  iii.,  also  ch.  vii.  15,  17.) — Those  who  consider 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  281 

the  last  two  chapters  as  a  delineation  of  the  church 
on  earth,  have  first  formed  in  their  minds  ideas  of  a 
corporeal  or  bodily  presence  of  Christ,  and  of  a  lite- 
ral and  visible  reign  on  the  earth.  Such  views  we 
have  already  shown  to  be  without  scripture  warrant, 
yea  against  plain  declarations  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
(as  Acts  iii.  21;  Matt.  xvii.  11,  12;  Heb.  ix.  28.) 
Hence  we  shall  contemplate  the  symbols  of  the  fol- 
lowing chapters, — except  as  incidents  or  allusions 
may  render  this  incompatible, — as  shadowing  forth 
the  glories  of  the  church's  heavenly  state. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

1.  And  I  saw  a  new  heaven  andsa  new  earth:  for  the  first 
heaven  and  the  first  earth  were  passed  away;  and  there  was 
no  more  sea. 

2.  And  I  John  saw  the  holy  city,  new  Jerusalem,  coming 
down  from  God  out  of  heaven,  prepared  as  a  bride  adorned 
for  her  husband. 

3.  And  I  heard  a  great  voice  out  of  heaven,  saying,  Behold , 
the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  he  will  dwell  with 
them,  and  they  shall  be  his  people,  and  God  himself  shall  be 
with  them,  and  be  their  God. 

4.  And  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes:  and 
there  shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow  nor  crying,  nei- 
ther shall  there  be  any  more  pain:  for  the  former  things  are 
passed  away. 

5.  And  he  that  sat  upon  the  throne,  said,  BehoM,  I  make 
all  things  new.  And  he  said  unto  me.  Write:  for  these 
words  are  true  and  faithful. 

6.  And  he  said  unto  me.  It  is  done.  I  am  Alpha  and  Ome- 
ga, the  beginning  and  the  end:  I  will  give  unto  him  that  is 
athirst,  of  the  fountain  of  the  water  of  life  freely. 

7.  He  that  overcometh  shall  inherit  all  things:  and  1  will 
be  his  God,  and  he  shall  be  my  son. 

Vs.  1-7. — It  is  unquestionable  that  the  phrase 
"new  heavens  and  a  new  earth"  is  to  be  understood 
sometimes  as  descriptive  of  moral  renovation  in  the 


282  NOTES    ON 

"world.  As  the  moral  change  effected  by  grace  in 
the  character  of  an  individual  sinner  is  called  a  new 
creation,  and  is  in  truth  no  less,  so  in  respect  to  a 
community.  The  analogy  in  this  case  is  the  same 
as  between  a  revolution  and  an  earthquake.  Thus, 
we  must  understand  Is.  Ixv.  17,  Ixvi.  22,  of  that 
great  moral  change  which  will  characterize  the  mil- 
lennium. But  the  "new  heaven  and  the  new  earth" 
are  here  contrasted  with  the  "  first  heaven  and  the  first 
earth  which  were  passed  away,''  (ch.  xx.  11.)  The 
apostle  Peter  describes  the  very  same  grand  and  glo- 
rious change.  Mingling  the  important  facts  of  authen- 
tic history  with  the  future  facts  of  prophecy,  he  tells 
us  that  the  "heavens  and  the  earth  which  are  now,  .  .  . 
are  reserved  unto  fire." — He  speaks  obviously  of  the 
visible  heavens  and  earth.  These  "heavens  shall 
pass  away  ....  and  "  the  earth  also,  ....  shall  be 
burnt  up.''  He  adds, — "  We  look  for  new  heavens 
and  a  new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness." 
(2  Pet.  iii.  7,  13.) — "There  was  no  more  sea,"  no 
more  disorderly  passions,  animosities,  arising  from 
human  depravity,  to  interrupt  the  delightful  harmony 
and  fellowship  of  saints  in  glory.  It  is  estimated 
that  about  two  thirds  of  this  world  are  occupied  by 
water.  In  that  happy  place  occupied  by  the  people 
of  God,  there  is  no  sea;  consequently,  "yet  there  is 
room,"  many  mansions,  room  enough  for  all  the  re- 
deemed. "The  holy  city,"  compared  to  a  "bride," 
two  very  incongruous  emblems,  shows  the  poverty  of 
symbols,  their  inadequacy  to  represent  the  church 
triumphant:  how  then  shall  created  objects  furnish 
suitable  emblems  of  the  glorious  and  glorified  Bride- 
groom? In  vision  the  city  seemed  to  the  apostle  as 
if  suspended  in  the  air  on  the  same  plane  with  him- 
self; for  now  he  stood  neither  on  "the  sand  of  the 
sea,"  (ch.  xiii.   1,)  for   "there  was  no  more  sea," 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  283 

nor  upon  the  earth,  for  it  was  "passed  away."  No 
intervening  object  could  obstruct  his  view. — He 
heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying,  "  Behold,  the  ta- 
bernacle of  God  is  with  men,  and  he  will  dwell  with 
them,"  as  his  reconciled  and  beloved  people.  As  a 
tender  Father,  he  will  "wipe  away  all  tears  from 
their  eyes.''  "  There  shall  be  no  more  death,"  either 
of  themselves  or  their  beloved  friends,  to  open  the 
fountain  of  tears  any  more  for  ever.  But  death  is 
the  last  enemy  to  be  destroyed;  (1  Cor.  xv.  26;) 
how  then  can  these  words  apply  to  any  state  short  of 
immortality  in  heaven?  "Neither  sorrow  nor  cry- 
ing,"— for  sin  or  suffering;  "neither  shall  there  be 
any  more  pain,"  causing  tears  or  cries:  and  what  is 
this  but  heaven .?  Yes,  *'  the  former  things  are  passed 
away."  Now  "he  that  hath  the  bride  is  the  bride- 
groom,'' and  she  shall  never  be  false  to  her  marriage 
covenant  any  more. — "He  that  sat  on  the  throne," 
denotes  the  Father  most  frequently  in  this  book,  as 
he  is  distinguished  from  the  Son;  but  the  Son  "is 
set  down  with  his  Father  in  his  throne,''  (ch.  iii.  21;) 
and  the  Son  is  to  be  viewed  as  the  person  on  the 
throne  here,  as  the  following  words,  compared  with 
the  twentieth  chapter,  verse  eleventh,  make  evi- 
dent.— He  it  is  who  "  makes  all  things  new.''  He 
left  his  disciples  as  to  his  bodily  presence,  and  went 
to  "prepare  a  place  for  them,"  (John  xiv.  2;)  and 
now  he  has  come  again  and  received  them  to  himself, 
in  fulfilment  of  his  promise.  Having  sent  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  create  them  anew  and  to  carry  on  to  com- 
pletion their  sanctification,  he  now  sees  of  the  travail 
of  his  soul,  the  Father  has  given  him  his  heart's  de- 
sire, and  hath  not  withholden  the  request  of  his  lips. 
Now,  all  his  ransomed  ones  are  with  him,  in  answer 
to  his  prayer,  and  also  their  own  prayers,  that  they 
may  behold  his  glory  which  the  Father  gave  him. 


284  NOTES   ON 

(Ps.  xxi.  2;  John  xvii.  24;  Phil.  i.  23.)— The  Lord 
Christ  said  to  John, — "Write;  for  these  words  are 
true  and  faithful."  And  what  has  sustained  the  spi- 
rits, animated  the  hopes,  and  filled  with  exulting  joy, 
the  confessors,  witnesses  and  martyrs  of  Jesus,  but 
faith's  realizing  views  of  the  King  in  his  beauty,  and 
the  glories  of  Immanuel's  land?  For  this  peculiarity 
the  disciples  of  Christ  have  been  as  speckled  birds, 
men  wondered  at,  in  all  generations. — ''It  is  done,'' 
so  he  said  at  the  pouring  out  of  the  seventh  vial, 
(ch.  xvi.  17;)  when  the  final  stroke  was  given  to  the 
antichristian  enemies:  but  now  these  words  import 
the  completion  of  the  whole  counsel  of  the  will  of 
God,  as  carried  into  effect  by  the  Captain  of  salva- 
tion, in  bringing  the  beloved  and  adopted  sons  and 
daughters  of  the  Father  home  to  glory.  (Heb.  ii.  10.) 
He  who  is  the  "Alpha  and  Omega,"  is  the  "author 
and  finisher  of  their  faith. '^ — Although  the  Lord  Je- 
sus has  made  of  sinners  "new  creatures,"  prepared 
them  as  "vessels  of  mercy  unto  glory,"  and  intro- 
duced them  into  heaven,  they  are  creatures  still,  and 
necessarily  dependent.  They  thirst  for  refreshment 
suited  to  their  holy  nature;  and  accordingly  he  gives 
of  the  '''fountain  of  the  water  of  life  freely,"  for  the 
streams  of  "v^  hich  they  thirsted,  "  as  the  heart  panteth 
for  the  water  brooks,''  while  they  sojourned  in  a  dry 
and  parched  land,  far  from  their  Father's  house. 
Man's  sin  consisted  in  forsaking  this  "Fountain  of 
living  waters,"  and  his  recovery  and  felicity  must 
arise  from  his  returning  from  his  own  "broken  cis- 
terns" to  the  original  spring. — The  water  of  life  was 
purchased  at  infinite  cost  by  Christ;  but  he  offers  it  to 
the  thirsty  without  price.  (Is.  Ixv.  1,  2.) — Those  who 
are  refreshed  by  the  streams  of  the  water  of  life, 
have  many  enemies  to  encounter  in  their  militant 
state,  but  all  who  overcome  are  encouraged  in  their 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  285 

"warfare  by  the  animating  promise,  that  they  shall 
"inherit  all  things."  (1  Cor.  iii.  21.)— "He  shall  be 
my  son/'  and  "if  a  son,  then  an  heir  of  God,  and 
joint  heir  with  Christ." 

8.  But  the  fearful  and  unbelieving,  and  the  abominable, 
and  murderers,  and  whoremongers,  and  sorcerers,  and  idola. 
ters,  and  all  liars,  shall  have  their  part  in  the  lake  which 
burneth  with  fire  and  brimstone;  which  is  the  second  death. 

V.  8. — "But  the  fearful,"  who  dread  suffering  or  re- 
proach for  the  cause  of  Christ, — not  the  self-diffident 
who  loves  his  Captain,  but  the  coward  or  deserter, 
who  "turns  back  in  the  day  of  battle,''  who  fears  the 
enemy  more  than  his  Captain: — "and  unbelieving," 
not  the  misbelieving,  as  Thomas;  nor  the  weak  in 
faith,  but  such  as  have  no  faith, — infidels; — "the 
abominable,"  defiling  the  flesh  as  Sodomites: — 
"murderers,"  suicides,  duelists,  assassins,  burglars, 
etc.,  "w^horemongers,"  adulterers,  fornicators: — 
"sorcerers,"  necromancers,  spiritualists,  who  are  the 
devil's  prophets,  pretending  to  new  revelations, 
"and  all  liars,"  perjured  persons,  deceivers,  hypo- 
crites, false  teachers,  who  handle  the  word  of  the 
Lord  deceitfully,  for  filthy  lucre's  sake, — all  such 
shall  have  their  part  in  the  lake,  with  the  devil,  the 
beast,  and  the  false  prophet.  (1  Cor.  vi.  9,  10;  Gal. 
V.  19-21;  Eph.  v.  5,6;  2  Cor.  xi.  13.) 

9.  And  there  came  unto  me  one  of  the  seven  angels  which 
had  the  seven  vials  full  of  the  seven  last  plagues,  and  talked 
with  me,  saying,  Come  hither,  I  will  show  thee  the  bride, 
the  Lamb's  wife, 

10.  And  he  carried  me  away  in  the  spirit  to  a  great  and 
high  mountain,  and  showed  me  that  great  city,  the  holy  Je- 
rusalem, descending  out  of  heaven  from  God, 

11.  Having  the  glory  of  God:  and  her  light  was  like  unto  a 
stone  most  precious,  even  like  a  jasper-stone,  clear  as  crystal; 

13.  And  had  a  wall  great  and  high,  and  had  twelve  gates, 
and  at  the  gates  twelve  angels,  and  names  written  thereon, 
,  which  are  the  names  of  the  twelve  tribes  of  the  children  of 
Israel. 
20 


286  NOTES   ON 

13.  On  the  east,  three  gates;  on  the  north,  three  gates;  on 
the  south,  three  gates;  and  on  the  west,  three  gates. 

14.  And  the  wall  of  the  city  had  twelve  foundations,  and  in 
them  the  names  of  the  twelve  apostles  of  the  Lamb. 

Vs.  9-14. — This  *' angel"  is  probably  the  same 
who  had  shown  John  the  mystic  Babylon  and  her 
destruction,  (ch.  xvii.  1;)  and  who  now  proposes  to 
show  him  the  *' bride  of  the  Lamb''  by  way  of  con- 
trast.— Under  the  influence  of  the  Spirit,  who  has 
access  to  the  soul  without  the  use  of  the  bodily  or- 
gans, (2  Cor.  xii.  2,) — John  was  "carried  to  a  great 
and  high  mountain,''  where  the  prospect  might  be 
sufficiently  enlarged.  When  the  angel  proposed  to 
show  him  the  "scarlet  whore,"  he  "carried  him  into 
the  wilderness,"  intimating  that  such  is  the  onlT/  po- 
sition in  which  the  "mystery  of  the  woman,  and  of 
the  beast  that  carrieth  her,''  can  be  clearly  seen  or 
perfectly  understood.  (2  Pet.  i.  9.)  Great  indeed  is 
the  contrast.  Both  objects  are  complex,  and  the 
combination  of  symbols,  wholly  incongruous  in  na- 
ture, admonishes  the  sober  interpreter  to  beware  of 
indulging  his  vain  fancy  by  attempting  to  trace  ana- 
logies in  detail,  where  none  are  intended  by  the  Holy 
Spirit.  The  true  church  of  Christ  is  compared  to  a 
virtuous  and  fruitful  woman,  (ch.  xii.  5;)  and  the 
apostate  church  is  symbolized  by  a  fruitful  but  pro- 
fligate woman,  (ch.  xvii.  5.)  Then  both  are  also  re- 
presented by  two  cities,  which  are  equally  contrasted. 
As  the  women  differ  in  their  outward  adornment, 
(chs.  xix.  8,  xvii.  4,)  so  do  the  cities  in  the  quality 
of  population,  commerce  and  employment,  (ch.  xviii. 
4;  xxii.  14.) — The  nuptials  being  consummated  be- 
tween the  Lamb  and  his  bride,  and  she  being  now 
"made  perfect  in  holiness;''  under  the  emblem  of  a 
city,  she  is  illuminated  with  "the  glory  of  God," 
made  "comely  through  his  comeliness  put  upon  her,'' 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  287 

rendered  beautiful  and  illustrious  beyond  conception 
or  expression:  for  the  happiness  of  heaven  results 
from  conformity  to  the  God- man,  communion  with 
him  and  communications  from  him.  (1  John  iii.  2.) — 
*'Her  light''  resembled  the  ^'jasper,  clear  as  crys- 
tal." The  knowledge  of  saints  in  heaven  will  be  in- 
tuitive: they  will  no  longer  "see  through  a  glass 
darkly,"  by  word  and  sacraments;  nor  shall  the  glo- 
rious Bridegroom  show  himself  as  formerly  "through 
the  lattice;"  (Song  ii.  9;)  but  they  "shall  see  him 
as  he  is.''  (1  John  iii.  2.) — "A  wall  great  and  high" 
denotes  the  security  of  this  city,  which  can  never  be 
scaled  by  an  enemy.  The  "twelve  gates"  are  to 
admit  the  twelve  tribes  of  God's  spiritual  Israel, — the 
sealed  ones,  (ch.  vii.  5-8;)  who  "shall  come  from  the 
east,  and  from  the  west,  and  from  the  north,  and 
from  the  south,  and  shall  sit  down  in  the  kingdom 
of  God."  (Luke  xiii.  29.) — At  the  gates  were 
"twelve  angels,''  as  guards  and  porters.  The  "foun- 
dations" of  the  wall,  nam.ed  after  the  "twelve  apos- 
tles," denote  that  all  who  enter  the  city,  gained  ad- 
mission by  "belief  of  the  truth"  as  taught  by  the 
apostles, — had  "continued  steadfast  in  the  apostles' 
doctrine  and  fellowship,''  in  the  face  of  reproach, 
persecution  and  apostacy.  They  were  "built  upon 
the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and  prophets,'' — Old 
and  New  Testament  believers  saved  by  the  blood  of 
the  Lamb:  for  the  twelve  tribes,  multiplied  by  the 
twelve  apostles,  make  a  hundred  and  forty-four;  and 
these  again,  multiplied  by  a  thousand,  make  the  whole 
number  who  appeared  with  the  Lamb  on  Mount 
Zion,  (ch.  xiv.  1;)  the  public  witnesses  of  Christ,  in 
the  church  militant  during  the  great  apostacy. 

15.  And  he  that  talked  with  me  had  a  golden  reed  to  mea- 
sure the  city,  and  the  gates  thereof,  and  the  wall  thereof. 

16.  And  the  city  lieth  four  square,  and  the  length  is  as  large 


288  KOTES   ON 

as  the  breadth,  Aud  he  measured  the  city  with  the  reed, 
twelve  thousand  furlongs:  the  length,  and  the  breadth,  and 
the  height  of  it  are  equal. 

17.  And  lie  measured  the  wall  thereof,  a  hundred  and  forty 
and  four  cubits,  according  to  the  measure  of  a  man,  that  is, 
of  the  angel. 

Vs.  15-lT. — The  apostle  borrows  the  symbols  and 
language  of  preceding  prophets,  especially  those  of 
Ezek.  (xl.  3,)  and  Zech.  (ii.  1.)  The  '^furlongs" 
measured  by  the  "reed,"  indicate  a  city  of  vast  di- 
mensions; and  being  "  four  square,''  each  side  would 
be  about  fifteen  hundred  miles!  And  as  the  "length 
and  breadth  and  height  of  it  are  equal,''  we  are  hereby 
taught  that  no  gross  conceptions  are  to  be  formed 
in  our  imaginations,  since  a  city  fifteen  hundred 
miles  high,  is  utterly  inconceivable.  The  instruction 
intended  to  be  conveyed  to  us  by  the  vast  dimensions, 
and  precious  materials  of  this  city  may  be,  the  in- 
comprehensible nature  and  transcendent  glory  of 
heaven.  (1  Cor.  ii.  9.)  A  cubit,  as  the  word  signifies, 
''is  the  measure  of  a  man''  from  his  elbow  to  the 
end  of  his  middle  finger.  The  measure  of  the  wall, 
in  height  or  breadth,  was  a  hundred  and  forty- four 
cubits,  or  the  twelve  tribes,  as  before,  multiplied  by 
the  twelve  apostles;  for  the  idea  of  a  cube,  as  the 
most  perfect  symbol  of  symmetrical  form,  seems  to  be 
intended. 

18.  And  the  building  of  the  wall  of  it  was  of  jasper:  and 
the  city  was  pure  gold,  like  unto  clear  glass: 

19.  And  the  foundations  of  the  wall  of  the  city  were  gar- 
nished with  all  manner  of  precious  stones.  The  first  founda- 
tion was  jasper;  the  second,  sapphire;  the  third*chalcedony; 
the  fourth,  an  emerald; 

20.  The  fifth,  sardonyx;  the  sixth,  sardius;  the  seventh, 
chrysolite;  the  eighth,  beryl;  the  ninth,  a  topaz;  the  tenth, 
a  chrysoprasus;  the  eleventh,  a  jacinth;  the  twelfth,  an  ame- 
thyst. 

21.  And  the  twelve  gates  were  twelve  pearls:  every  several 
gate  was  of  one  pearl:  and  the  street  of  the  city  was  pure 
gold,  as  it  were  transparent  glass. 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  289 

Vs.  18-21. — The  "jasper,  gold  and  glass,''  are 
here  all  combined,  though  their  natural  properties 
and  chemical  elements  are  so  different.  Glass  is 
clear,  transparent,  but  brittle;  gold  is  solid  and  shi- 
ning, but  opaque.  In  heaven,  the  saints  shall  know 
more  than  we  can  now  imagine.  The  glass  will  be 
all  gold.  As  the  eye  sees  an  object  through  glass 
at  a  glance,  so  the  saints  in  heaven  will  perceive 
truth  without  the  tedious  process  of  comparison  and 
reasoning.  The  gold  will  be  all  glass.  All  these 
symbols  are  intended  to  show  to  the  devout  reader, 
that  the  antichristian  harlot  is  incomparably  eclipsed 
by  the  glory  of  the  Lamb's  bride, — having  "  no  glory, 
by  reason  of  the  glory  that  excelleth." — The  twelve 
"precious  stones"  which  "garnished  the  foundations 
of  the  wall  of  the  city,''  are  an  allusion  to  those  of 
Aaron's  breastplate  of  judgment.  (Exod.  xxviii. 
17-20;)  indicating  that  the  Urim  and  Thummim,  the 
light  and  perfection  of  glory,  shall  be  there,  super- 
seding the  oracle  and  Shekinah:  for  one  thing  is  pe- 
culiar to  this  city  by  which  it  is  distinguished  from 
the  old  Jerusalem, — no  temple, 

22.  And  I  saw  no  temple  therein:  for  the  Lord  God  Al- 
mighty, and  the  Lamb,  are  the  temple  of  it. 

23.  And  the  city  had  no  need  of  the  sun,  neither  of  the 
moon,  to  shine  in  it;  for  the  glory  of  God  did  lighten  it,  and 
the  Lamb  is  the  light  thereof. 

24.  And  the  nations  of  them  which  are  saved  shall  walk  in 
the  light  of  it,  and  the  kings  of  the  earth  do  bricg  their  glory 
and  honour  into  it. 

2!i.  And  the  gates  of  it  shall  not  be  shut  at  all  by  day;  for 
there  shall  be  no  night  there. 

26.  And  they  shall  bring  the  glory  and  honour  of  the  na- 
tions into  it. 

27.  And  there  shall  in  no  wise  enter  into  it  any  thing  that 
defileth,  neither  whatsoever  worketh  abomination,  or  maketh 
a  lie;  but  they  which  are  written  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life. 

Vs.  22-27. — There  was  "no  temple  therein.''  As 
there  was  a  temple  in  the  city  which  Ezekiel  saw  in 


290  NOTES    ON 

vision,  (ch.  xli.  1,)  and  this  fact  determines  the 
point,  that  his  prophecy  relates  to  the  church  mill' 
tant;  so,  the  absence  of  even  the  semblance  of  such 
a  structure  here,  proves  that  this  is  a  description  of 
the  church  triumphant.  In  heaven  there  is  no  need 
of  external,  material,  visible  symbols  of  God's  pre- 
sence. As  the  ceremonial  "law  had  a  shadow  of 
^ood  things  to  come,''  but  "vanished  away"  when 
Christ  appeared,  (Heb.  x.  1,)  so  will  it  be  in  hea- 
ven; no  ordinances  will  be  used  to  act  upon  either 
sense  or  faith,  these  having  issued  in  vision. 

The  glorious  presence  of  "  the  Lord  God  Almighty 
and  the  Lamb,''  having  superseded  the  necessity  of 
a  temple;  the  light  of  the  sun  and  moon  shall  be  no 
longer  needed.  "God  is  light,  and  in  him  is  no 
darkness  at  all,''  (1  John  i.  5;}  and  "as  long  as 
Christ  was  in  the  world,  he  was  the  light  of  the 
world."  (John  ix.  5.)  We  have  seen  that  other 
suns  and  moons  which  were  symbolical,  have  been 
darkened  or  blotted  out  of  existence  by  the  omnipo- 
tent Mediator;  but  now  these  natural  luminaries  are 
totally  and  for  ever  obscured  by  the  ineffable  efful- 
gence of  uncreated  light, — the  manifested  and  imme- 
diate presence  of  the  Father  and  the  Son. — All  the 
redeemed  shall  "walk  in  the  light  of  the  Lord;''  and 
all  the  glory  of  "the  kings  of  the  earth,"  concentra- 
ted in  one  place,  would  bear  no  comparison  with  the 
splendor  of  this  "holy  city."  The  gates  are  not  to 
be  shut  during  the  "day''  of  eternity;  and  since  the 
"excellent  ones  of  the  earth''  shall  all  enter  the 
twelve  open  gates  from  every  part  of  the  world,  it 
may  be  truly  said  "they  bring  the  glory  and  honor 
of  the  nations  into  it.''  What  a  delightful  scene  of 
a  holy,  happy,  safe  and  harmonious  fellowship! — It 
is  observable  that  the  apostle  altogether  drops  per- 
sonalities here.     He  seizes  only  upon  properties  or 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  291 

qualities, — *'any  thing,'' — so  holy  is  the  place,  and 
so  holy  the  inhabitants:  yea,  so  safe  and  secure,  that 
no  creature, — no  "beast  of  the  field  which  the  Lord 
God  has  made,''  shall  ever  gain  an  entrance  into  this 
heavenly  Paradise:  but  only  those  Avhose  names  are 
"written  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life;"  who,  despite  of 
the  Serpent,  brings  all  his  spiritual  seed  safe  to 
glory. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

1.  And  lie  showed  me  a  pure  river  of  water  of  life,  clear  as 
crystal,  proceeding  out  of  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb. 

2.  In  the  midst  of  the  street  of  it,  and  on  either  side  of  the 
river,  was  there  the  tree  of  life,  which  bare  twelve  manner  of 
fruits,  and  yielded  her  fruit  every  montli:  and  the  leaves  of 
the  tree  were  for  the  healing  of  the  nations. 

3.  And  there  shall  be  no  more  curse:  but  the  throne  of  God 
and  of  the  Lamb  shall  be  in  it;  and  his  servants  shall  serve 
him. 

4.  And  they  shall  see  his  face;  and  his  name  shall  be  in  their 
foreheads. 

5.  And  there  shall  be  no  night  there:  and  they  need  no 
candle,  neither  light  of  the  sun:  for  the  Lord  God  giveth  them 
light:  and  they  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever. 

Vs.  1-5. — These  verses,  being  a  continuance  of 
the  description  of  the  "holy  city,''  naturally  belong 
to  the  preceding  chapter. — The  angel  proceeds  to 
show  John  the  source  and  current  from  which  ema- 
nate all  heavenly  blessings.  The  allusion  is  to  Eze- 
kiel,  xlvii.  1-12 ;  but  both  he  and  John  call  our  at- 
tention to  man's  primeval  state,  when  our  first  parents 
dwelt  in  Eden.  This  abode  of  the  blessed  is  beauti- 
fied and  enriched  with  all  the  products,  delights  and 
attractions  which  are  adapted  to  the  refined  senses 
of  holy  creatures, — "pleasant  to  the  eyes,  and  good 
for  food."  It  is  Paradise  restored,  by  the  "doing 
and  dying''  of  the  second  Adam.     It  is  also  Para- 


292  NOTES   ON 

dise  improvedy  having  not  only  the  "tree  of  life,''  as 
the  first  had,  but  also,  in  addition,  the  "water  of 
life.''  The  *'tree  of  life''  was  to  sinless  Adam  a 
symbol  and  pledge  of  immortality  to  himself  and  all 
his  posterity  whom  he  represented  in  the  Covenant 
of  Works.  Now  that  heaven  is  procured  for  all  be- 
lievers by  the  second  Adam,  it  is  emblematically  re- 
presented to  our  weak  apprehension  by  directing 
our  attention  to  the  primitive  and  earthly  Paradise. 
This  is  repeatedly  done  in  Scripture.  The  Lord 
Jesus,  before  he  expired  upon  the  cross,  said  to  the 
penitent  thief, — "  To  day  shall  thou  be  with  me  in 
Paradise.  (Luke  xxiii.  43.)  Paul  was  "caught  up" 
thither,  (2  Cor.  xii.  4;)  and  he  calls  the  place  "hea- 
ven," (v.  2;)  and  in  this  book,  (ch.  ii.  7,)  the  Lord 
promises, — "  I  will  give  to  him  that  overcometh  to 
eat  of  the  tree  of  life,  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the 
paradise  of  God.''  The  "tree"  is  an  emblem  of 
Christ,  (Song  ii.  3;)  the  "river  of  the  water  of  life'' 
symbolizes  the  Holy  Spirit,  (John  vii.  38,  39;)  for 
as  the  Son  and  the  Holy  Ghost  proceed  from  the 
Father,  the  former  by  generation,  the  latter  by  ema- 
nation from  eternity, — so  "that  eternal  life  which 
was  with  the  Father"  in  the  person  of  the  Son,  and 
purchased  by  the  Son,  is  communicated  by  the  Holy 
Ghost  to  all  the  redeemed  by  regeneration.  (2  Cor. 
iii.  6;  Rom.  viii.  2.) — Thus,  the  eternal  duration  of 
life  in  glory  "proceeds  out  of  the  throne  of  God  and 
the  Lamb.''  On  each  side  of  the  river  "the  tree  of 
life"  is  accessible  by  the  inhabitants;  and  the  fruits 
of  the  tree,  ripe  in  all  months  of  the  year,  and  adapt- 
ed to  every  taste,  each  one  may  "put  forth  his 
hand''  as  he  passes,  "and  take  ....  and  eat,  and 
live  for  ever.''  (Gen.  iii.  22.)  Or,  "the  people  that 
are  therein''  may  "sit  down  under  its  shadow,  and 
its  fruit  will  be  sweet  to  their  taste.'  — "The  leaves 


THE   APOCALYPSE.  29-S 

of  the  tree''  are  for  medicine,  being  preventive  of  all 
disease,  so  that  "the  inhabitant  shall  not  say,  I  am 
sick:  the  people  that  dwell  therein  are  forgiven  their 
iniquities.'*  (Is.  xxxiii.  24.)  "There  shall  be  no  more 
curse."  Satan  gained  entrance  into  the  garden  of 
Eden,  and  succeeded  in  entailing  the  "curse''  upon 
man,  and  upon  beast,  and  upon  the  fruits  of  the 
ground;  but  he  shall  never  be  loosed  again,  or 
emerge  from  "the  lake  of  fire,''  to  disturb  the  repose 
of  that  blessed  society  in  heaven,  (ch.  xxi.  27.) — As 
the  "throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb''  is  owe,  (ch.  iii. 
21 ;)  so  it  is  remarkable  that  the  distinction  of  per- 
sons is  omitted,  as  though  the  Father  and  the  Son 
were  but  one  person.  True,  Christ  said,  "I  and  my 
Father  are  one,"  (John  x.  30 ;)  but  he  referred  to  uni- 
ty of  nature  and  purpose,  not  of  personality;  for,  in 
consistency  with  this,  he  said  also, — "My  Father  is 
greater  than  I;"  an  assertion  which  must  consist 
with  the  former,  and  which  plainly  involves  personal 
distinction,  (ch.  xiv.  28.) — "His  name  shall  be  in 
their  foreheads." — Which  of  them  ?  We  have  found 
Christ's  Father's  name  "written  in  the  foreheads'' 
of  a  hundred  and  forty-four  thousand  saints  militant^ 
(ch.  xiv.  1.)  While  in  conflict,  "the  world  knew 
them  not,''  and  the  adherents  of  Antichrist  "  cast 
out  their  names  as  evil,''  branding  them  as  heretics; 
but  now  they  are  known  to  the  whole  universe,  as 
the  covenant  property  of  both  the  Father  and  the 
Son,  (ch.  iii.  12.)— "  Behold,  I  and  the  children 
which  God  hath  given  me;"  (Heb.  ii.  13.)  "I  have 
manifested  thy  name  unto  the  men  which  thou 
gavest  me  out  of  the  world.  Thine  they  were,  and 
thou  gavest  them  me;  and  they  have  kept  thy  word. 
.  .  .  .  All  mine  are  thine,  and  thine  are  mine;  and  I 
am  glorified  in  them."  (John  xvii.  6,10.) — There  will 
be  no  intermission  or  interruption  of  service,  "no 


294  NOTES    ON 

night  there,'' — no  hidings  of  God's  countenance,  no 
desertions;  for  "they  shall  see  his  face  "..in  the  "ex- 
press image  of  the  Father's  person,"  be  assured  of 
his  love; — "need  no  candle,"  nor  any  earthly  accom- 
modation; "for  the  Lord  God  giveth  them  light;  and 
they  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever,"  in  fulness  of  joy 
and  unalloyed  pleasures  for  evermore.  (Ps.  xvi.  11.) 
How  different  is  this  heaven  from  the  Mahometan 
paradise,  which,  if  real,  could  gratify  only  carnal  and 
sensual  sinners!  yet  the  imaginations  of  many,  and 
their  aspirations  too,  with  the  Bible  in  their  hands, 
are  little  better  than  those  of  Mahometans  or  pagans. 
All  speculations  of  heathen  philosophers  about  the 
*' chief  good,''  or  the  enjoyments  of  their  imaginary 
gods,  are  so  gross  and  brutish  as  to  demonstrate  the 
all-important  truth,  that  "except  a  man  be  born 
again,  he  cannot  see  the  kinp;dom  of  God.''  (John  iii. 
3.)  And  it  is  too  evident  that  some  modern  philoso- 
phers are  as  little  acquainted  as  Nicodemus  with  the 
humbling  doctrines  of  the  gospel.  The  society  of 
learned  men,  making  perpetual  advance  in  natural 
science,  especially  in  astronomy, — would  seem  to  be 
the  highest  conception  of  happiness  which  too  many 
modern  philosophers  can  reach.  They  know  not 
some  of  the  elementary  teachings  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures; such  as, — "Without  holiness  no  man  shall  see 
the  Lord;"  and  that  this  indispensable  preparation 
for  heavenly  felicity  consists  in  "the  washing  of  re- 
generation, and  the  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 

The  hundreds  of  diverse  and  conflicting  opinions 
of  learned  writers  on  the  summum  honum,  or  chief 
good,  proves  to  demonstration,  that  without  super- 
natural revelation  and  regeneration,  man  cannot  con- 
ceive in  what  happiness  consists.  Thus  far  is  the 
description  of  the  heavenly  state ;  and  how  little  can 
we  know,  or  even  conceive  of  the  glory  and  felicity 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  295 

of  the  upper  santuary !  We  must  still  say  with  the 
prophet  Isaiah  and  the  apostle  Paul, — "Eye  hath 
not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have  entered  into 
the  heart  of  man,  the  things  which  God  hath  pre- 
pared for  them  that  love  him."  (Isa.  Ixiv.  4;  1  Cor. 
ii.  9.) 

6.  And  he  said  unto  me,  These  sayingjs  are  faithful  and 
true:  and  the  Lord  God  of  the  holy  prophets  sent  his  angel 
to  show  unto  his  servants  the  things  whiuh  mast  shortly  be 
done. 

7.  Behold,  I  come  quickly,  blessed  is  he  that  keepeth  the 
sayings  of  the  prophecy  of  this  book. 

Vs.  6,  7. — The  angel  assures  the  apostle  and  all 
who  read,  that  "  these  sayings  are  faithful  and  true," 
however  sublime  and  incomprehensible;  however,  in- 
credible to  infidels;  however  contradicted  and  misin- 
terpreted by  antichristian  apostates  and  enthusiasts. 
They  are  all  from  "the  Lord  God  of  the  holy  pro- 
phets,''— from  Jesus  Christ  and  God  the  Father,  (ch. 
i.  1.) — All  prophets  who  wrote  any  part  of  the  Bible, 
were  "holy  men  of  God."  (2  Pet.  i.  21.)— Of  "these 
things"  some  were  "shortly  to  be  done;"  and  all  in 
regular  series  would  be  accomplished  in  due  time. — 
"Behold  I  come  quickly.''  Christ  is  the  speaker 
here,  and  declares  that  each  one  is  "blessed  who 
keepeth  the  sayinp^s  ...  of  this  book.''  This  bene- 
diction was  pronounced  on  such  at  the  beginning  of 
this  Revelation,  (ch.  i.  3,)  and  it  is  repeated  by  its 
immediate  divine  Author,  to  encourage  all  to  study 
it.  This  blessing  is  not  to  be  expected  by  any  who 
merely  read  or  hear^  but  by  those  only  who  keep  the 
"sayings  of  this  prophecy."  Its  Author  foreknew 
its  enemies  and  corrupters. 

8.  And  I  J9hn  saw  these  things,  and  heard  them.  And 
when  I  had  heard  and  seen,  I  fell  down  to  worship  before  the 
feet  of  the  angel,  which  showed  me  these  things. 

9.  Then  saith  he  unto  me,  See  thou  do  it  not:  for  I  am 


296  NOTES   ON 

thy  fellow-iserv.iDt,  and  of  thy  brethren  the  prophets,  and  of 
them  which  keep  the  sayings  of  this  book  :  worship  God. 

Vs.  8,  9. — A  second  time,  John  attempts  an  act  of 
idolatry!  While  we  may  wonder  at  this,  let  us  not 
fail  to  admire  the  wonderful  wisdom  of  God  in  per- 
mitting his  servant  to  fall,  as  he  did  in  the  case  of 
our  first  father  Adam,  that  he  might  take  occasion 
more  fully  to  display  his  glory  in  "bringing  good 
out  of  evil."  The  Apocalypse  is  directed  chiefly 
against  that  primary  feature  of  the  great  Antichrist, 
idolatry.  This  was  part  of  "the  mystery  of  inquity 
which  did  already  work ''  in  the  time  of  the  apostles, 
(Col.  ii.  18,)  and  was  to  be  fully  developed  after- 
wards. (2  Thess.  ii.  4.)  This  second  rebuke  of  an 
apostle,  by  one  of  the  most  exalted  of  creatures,  for 
ever  answers  all  arguments  of  Papists  or  others,  who 
plead  for,  or  palliate  the  "worshipping  of  angels"  or 
souls  of  men.  Idolaters  worship  angels  and  souls 
when  absent^  as  though  they  were  omniscient,  omni- 
present and  omnipotent;  thus  giving  the  glory  to 
creatures  of  these  divine  perfections:  whereas  this 
heavenly  messenger,  when  present^  keenly  resents 
this  indignity  to  his  and  the  apostle's  adorable  Crea- 
tor and  Lord.  Once  more  the  angel  directs  John 
and  all  men  to  join  him  and  all  the  heavenly  host  in 
observing  "the  first  and  great  commandment,'' — 
"  Worship  God,"  (ch.  v.  11-14.)  This  angelic  re- 
buke, leaves  Papists  for  ever  without  excuse;  and 
consequently  all  others  who  deny  the  supreme  deity 
of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  and  yet  wor- 
ship him. 

10.  And  he  saith  unto  me,  Seal  not  the  sayings  of  the  pro- 
phecy of  this  book;  for  the  time  is  at  hand. 

11.  He  that  is  unjust,  let  him  be  unjust  still;  and  he  which 
is  filthy,  let  him  be  filthy  still;  and  he  that  ie  righteous,  let 
him  be  righteous  still;  and  he  that  is  holy,  let  him  be  holy 
Btill. 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  297 


12.  And,  behold,  I  come  quickly;  and  my  reward  is  with 
me,  to  give  every  man  according  as  his  work  shall  be. 

Ys.  10-12.— Christ  himself  addresses  John  in  per- 
son.    He  had  done  so  at  the  beginning  of  these  glo- 
ous  scenes  of  the  future,  (ch.  i.  8.)     Now  he  appears 
ao-ain  in  glory,  though  not  described  as  before,  that 
he  may  thus  authenticate    and  close  the  vision.-- 
•'  Seal  not  the  sayings  of  the  prophecy  of  this  book.' ' 
Why  is  this?     The  reason  is  assigned,  because  "the 
time  is  at  hand''  when  they  shall  begin  to  be  veri- 
fied in  actual    history.     The  case  was  different  m 
Daniel's  time,  who  was  inspired  by  the  same  omnis- 
cient Spirit  to  prediot  the  same  events.     "0  Daniel, 
shut  up  the  words,  and  seal  the  vision,  even  to  the 
time  of  the  end."  (Dan.  xii.  4.)     If  the  vision  of 
the  empires  of  Persia  and  Greece  was  to  be  *'  tor 
many  days,"  (ch.  viii.  26,)  then  the  rise,  reign  and 
overthrow  of  the  Roman  empire,  were  still  more  re- 
mote.    No  wonder  that  Daniel,  with  becoming  hu- 
mility but  intense  interest  inquired,  "0,  my  Lord, 
what  shall  be  the  end  of  these  things?"     Such  was 
the  subdued  anxiety  of  other  prophets.  (1  Pet.i.  10.) 
And  here  we  may  once  for  all  notice  the  three  dis- 
tinct periods  mentioned  by  Daniel,  as  measuring  the 
duration  of  the  Roman  empire,  the  Romish  apostacy, 
and  as  they  bear  upon  the  promised  and  desirable 
millennium.     The  two  prophets,  Daniel  and  John, 
agree  in  fixing  and  limiting  the  domination  ot  the 
Antichrist  to  1260  years.     This  agreement  has  been 
already  pointed  out.     The  Lord,  however,  to  allay 
the  laudable  anxiety  of  his  "greatly  beloved     ser- 
vant Daniel,  makes  mention  of  two  other  penods  ot 
time,  1290  and  1335  days  or  years,  (ch.  xii.  11,  1^.) 
Now,  when  we  have  manifold  assurances  that  the  great 
apostacy  shall  terminate  with  the  close  of  the  llbU 
years,  we  may  venture  humbly  to  suppose,  that  the 


298  NOTES    ON 

next  thirty  years  may  be  occupied  in  the  conversion 
of  the  Jews,  and  the  remaining  forty-five  in  the  ef- 
fectual calling  of  the  residue  of  the  gentile  nations; 
so  as  to  brins;  the  kino-doms  of  the  earth  and  the 
church  of  Christ  to  perfect  organization  and  visible 
harmony,  and  the  whole  population  of  the  globe  into 
voluntary  and  avowed  subjection  to  the  Lord  and 
his  Anointed, — to  perfect  millennial  splendor,  the 
nearest  approximation  to  heaven.  (Rom.  xi.  25,  26; 
Ps.  cii.  15,  16.)  But  "who  shall  live  when  God 
doeth  this?"  (Num.  xxiv.  23.) — The  divine  Author 
of  this  book,  having  given  to  mankind  a  complete 
and  sufficient  revelation  of  his' will,  containing  invi- 
tations and  warnings,  at  this  juncture  gives  intima- 
tion that  obstinate  sinners  shall  at  length  be  left  to 
the  consequences  of  their  own  free  and  perverse 
choice,  "unjust  and  filthy  still;"  no  further  means 
to  be  employed  for  their  conviction;  but  those  who 
have  embraced  the  offer  of  the  gospel,  shall  be  con- 
firmed for  ever  in  holiness  and  happiness, — "right- 
eous and  holy  still." — He  also  repeats  the  assurances 
of  his  sudden  appearance  to  reward  "every  man  ac- 
cording as  his  work  shall  be."  The  recompense 
which  he  brings  will  be  of  debt  or  justice  to  the  im- 
penitent unbeliever;  but  wholly  of  free  grace  to  the 
believer;  for  the  works  of  each  class  shall  follow 
them,  as  decisive  evidence  of  their  respective  charac- 
ters, (ch.  xiv.  13.) 

13.  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  end, 
the  first  and  the  last. 

V.  13. — The  Lord  Christ  here  declares  and  asserts 
the  eternity  of  his  personal  subsistence  and  official 
standing,  as  an  all-sufficient  guarantee  of  his  ability 
and  authority  to  deal  with  the  righteous  and  the 
wicked,  as  also  to  bring  to  pass  all  events  by  his 
providence  which    are  here  predicted.      The  same 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  299 

guarantee  he  had  given  at  the  beginning  of  the  Apo- 
calypse, (ch.  i.  8.) 

14.  Blessed  are  they  that  do  his  commandments,  that  they 
may  have  right  to  the  tree  of  life,  and  may  enter  in  through 
the  gates  into  the  city. 

V.  14. — Those  who  "do  his  commandments,"  are 
believers,  (John  xiv.  15,)  and  no  others  can  obtain 
a  *' right  to  the  tree  of  life'' — all  the  blessings  of 
Christ's  purchase:  for  "without  faith  it  is  impossible 
to  please  God,''  (Heb.  xi.  6;)  and  "this  is  the  love 
of  God,  that  we  keep  his  commandments."  (1  John 
v.  3.)  "  By  the  deeds  of  the  law,'' — keeping  the 
commandments,  whether  moral  or  ceremonial,  *' shall 
no  flesh  be  justified  in  the  sight  of  God,''  or  merit  a 
"right  to  the  tree  of  life,"  or  to  "enter  in  through 
the  gates  into  the  city.''  This  right,  power,  or  pri- 
vilege, is  confined  to  those,  and  to  those  only,  who 
"receive  and  believe  on  the  name  of  Christ."  (John 
i.  12.)  They  who  serve  the  Lord  Christ,  are  enti- 
tled to  the  reward  of  the  inheritance,  (Col.iii.  24;) 
and  in  keeping  of  his  commandments,  there  is  great 
reward.  (Ps.  xix.  11.)  This  reward  is  of  grace,  not 
of  debt  to  any  of  the  children  of  Adam:  "not  of 
works,  lest  any  man  should  boast."  (Rom.  xi.  6;  Eph. 
ii.  9.)  And  when  the  last  elected  sinner,  pertaining 
to  the  whole  company  of  the  redeemed,  shall  have 
been  called,  justified  and  sanctified,  then  "with 
gladness  and  rejoicing  shall  they  be  brought:  they 
shall  enter  into  the  King's  palace."  (Ps.  xlv.  15.) 

15.  For  -without  are  dogs,  and  sorcerers,  and  whoremong- 
ers, and  murderers,  and  idolaters,  and  whosoever  loveth  and 
maketh  a  lie. 

y.  15. — "Without  are  dogs.'' — These  characters 
have  been  excluded  by  the  righteous  and  unalterable 
sentence  of  the  judge  of  quick  and  dead,  having  their 
part  in  the  "lake  of  fire:''  for  there  is  no  intima- 


300  NOTES   ON 

tion  here  or  elsewhere,  of  any  purgatory  or  interme- 
diate place,  with  the  delusive  hope  of  which,  those 
who  "love  and  make  lies,"  flatter  themselves  and 
their  blind  votaries.  Oh,  that  such  "sinners  in 
Zion,''  and  out  of  Zion,  "might  be  afraid!'' — that 
timely  "fearfulness  might  surprise  these  hypocrites!'' 
that  they  might  ponder  those  awful  questions! — 
"Who  among  us  shall  dwell  with  the  devouring  fire? 
who  among  us  shall  dwell  with  everlasting  burnings?" 
(Isa.  xxxiii.  14.) 

16.  I  Jesus  have  sent  mine  angel  to  testify  unto  you  these 
things  in  the  churches.  I  am  the  root  and  the  offspring  of 
David,  and  the  bright  and  morning  star. 

V.  16. — This  is  the  '* angel''  whose  ministry  the 
Lord  Christ  was  pleased  to  employ  in  making  known 
to  the  church  through  his  servant  John,  most  of  the 
discoveries  of  this  book,  (ch.  i.  1,  11.)  Many  other 
angels  have  indeed  been  employed  by  the  Mediator 
as  the  ministers  of  his  providence;  but  this  one 
seems  to  have  been  the  principal  all  along.  None 
of  these"  heavenly  messengers,  however,  was  found 
competent  to  reveal  the  purposes  of  God,  (ch.  v.  3.) 
To  this  work  the  eternal  Son  of  God  alone  was  found 
adequate  by  nature  and  oflBce, — the  "Lamb  that 
had  been  slain."  Christ  has  a  personal  property  in 
the  angels,  as  he  is  their  Creator  and  Lord ;  and  as 
they  are  his  creatures  and  willing  servants, — *'^mme 
angel.'' — This  is  perfectly  reasonable;  for  he  is  the 
"  Koot  of  David"  in  his  divine  nature;  and  the 
"  Offspring  of  David,''  in  his  human  nature,  (Rom. 
i.  3.)— God-Man,  Mediator.  And  here  let  it  be  re- 
marked, that  in  speaking  or  writing  of  our  Redeemer 
there  appears  to  be  no  scriptural  warrant  for  the  po- 
pular phrases, — "the  union  of  the  two  natures," — 
"  Christ  as  man;"  or,  "as  God.''  These  expressions 
militate  against  the  unity  of  his  divine  nature  3i,nd  per- 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  301 

sonality ;  and  are  calculated, — we  do  not  say  intend- 
ed^ to  mislead  or  confuse  the  mind  of  his  disciples. 
*'In  him  personally^  not  in  the  Father  or  the  Holy 
Ghost,  "dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead 
bodily."  (Col.  ii.  9.) — By  John  the  descent  of  Christ's 
human  nature  is  traced  through  David  here,  because 
of  the  Covenant  of  Royalty;  by  Paul,  he  is  repre- 
sented as  being  of  the  "seed  of  Abraham,"  by  rea- 
son of  the  more  extended  relation  involved  in  the 
Covenant  of  Grace-  (Heb.  ii.  16.)— He  is  also  "the 
bright,  even  the  morning  star."  This  may  be  in  re- 
ference to  the  less  luminous  "  stars  in  his  right  hand," 
(ch.  i.  16,  20,)  and  by  way  of  contrast  with  them : 
but  he  takes  this  name  chiefly  to  intimate  that  he  is 
the  Author  of  all  supernatural  illumination,  whether 
in  the  kingdom  of  grace  or  of  glory: — "The  Lamb 
is  the  light  thereof,"  (ch.  xxi.  23.) 

17.  And  the  Spirit  and  the  brifje  say,  Come.  And  let  him 
that  heareth,  say,  Come.  And  let  him  that  is  athirst,  come. 
And  whosoever  vrill,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely. 

V.  17. — Here  is  the  unrestricted  universal  call  of 
the  gospel,  to  "come''  to  Christ  for  eternal  life. — 
"  We  do  testify  that  the  Father  sent  the  Son  to  be 
the  Saviour  of  the  world,"  (1  John  iv.  14.) — The  in- 
vitation is  manifold  and  pressing.  "The  Spirit" 
by  the  word  and  conscience  says,  "Come."  "The 
Bride,"  the  church  militant  and  triumphant,  says, 
"Come."  Every  one  "  that  heareth"  the  invitation, 
is  warranted  to  say  to  others,  "Come."  Let  every 
one  that  "thirsts"  for  true  and  lasting  felicity, 
"Come."  If  any  one  be  in  doubt,  whether  his  de- 
sire be  spiritual  or  not,  it  is  added  for  his  encourage- 
ment, as  well  as  sufficient  warrant, — "Let  whoso- 
ever will,  take  of  the  water  of  life  freely."  Any 
sinner  of  Adam's  race  may  "wash  and  be  clean,"  in 
that  "fountain  open  for  sin  and  for  uncleanness ;"  — 
21 


302  NOTES   ON 

may  with  confidence  and  pleasure,  "draw  water  from 
the  wells  of  salvation."  (Zeeh.  xiii.  1;  Isa.  xii.  3.) 
Who  can  resist  these  calls,  invitations  and  persua- 
sions, and  be  guiltless  ?  or  who  can  devise  easier 
terms  of  reconciliation  to  an  offended  God,  than  are 
here  addressed  to  the  chief  of  sinners? 

18.  For  I  testifj  unto  every  man  that  heareth  the  words  of 
the  prophecy  of  this  book,  If  any  man  shall  add  unto  these 
thiDg;8,  God  shall  add  unto  him  the  plagues  that  are  written 
in  this  book: 

19.  And  if  any  man  shall  take  away  from  the  words  of  the 
book  of  this  prophecy,  God  shall  take  away  his  part  out  of 
the  book  of  life,  and  out  of  holy  city,  and  from  the  things 
which  are  written  in  this  book. 

Vs.  18,  19.— "For  I  testify."— He  who  is  "the 
faithful  and  true  Witness"  closes  this  book  of  pro- 
phecy, with  a  solemn  and  awful  sanction.  These 
tremendous  threatenings  by  the  "Lord  God  of  the 
holy  prophets,"  may  well  cause  all  who  read  or  hear 
to  tremble:  for  who  can  abide  his  indignation? — 
While  the  "prophecy  of  this  book''  is  primarily  in- 
tended, all  other  parts  of  the  Bible  are  included  in 
this  solemn  conclusion:  for  doubtless  our  Lord  in- 
tended the  Apocalypse  to  be  a  close  to  the  whole 
canon.  The  threatening  is  twofold,  corresponding 
to  the  criminality.  Learned,  bold  and  irreverent  bi- 
blical critics;  enthusiasts  and  pretenders  to  new  re- 
velations, are  in  danger  of  these  judgments.  "The 
plagues  that  are  written  in  this  book,''  are  such  as 
will  utterly  destroy  the  presumptuous  sinner  who 
"adds  to  these  things."  And  he  that  impiously 
"takes  away  from  the  words  of  the  book  of  this  pro- 
phecy," exposes  himself  to  the  like  awful  punishment. 
*'  God  shall  take  away  his  part  out  of  the  book  of  life, 
and  out  of  the  holy  city,  and  from  the  things  which 
are  written  in  this  book.'' — Tremendous  doom  !  All 
that  which  he  seemed  to  have  shall  be  taken  away. 


THE    APOCALYPSE.  303 

(Luke  viii.  18.)  Great  will  be  the  sudden  and  unex- 
pected loss! — These  awful  denunciations,  however, 
have  special  reference,  like  the  rest  of  the  threatened 
judgments  in  this  book,  to  the  great,  continued  and 
defiant  impieties  of  the  apostate  church  of  Rome. 
She  has  "added''  her  traditions  to  the  Scriptures,  as 
part  and  principal  part,  of  the  '*Rule  of  Faith!" 
She  has  *' taken  away''  the  Scriptures  from  the  body 
of  her  people;  or  shut  them  up  in  an  ''unknown 
tongue,"  so  that  "every  man  may"  not  "hear  in  his 
own  tongue  wherein  he  was  born,  the  wonderful 
works  of  God."  (Acts  ii.  8,  11.)  This  is  one  of  the 
articles  in  Rome's  indictment  here ;  and  whatever 
modern  infidelity  or  spurious  charity  may  suggest, 
this  theft  of  God's  word,  and  robbery  of  his  people, 
is  not  to  be  expiated  with  burnt  offering  or  sacrifice. 
And  he  who  scans  all  time,  foresaw  this  attempt  of 
the  dragon  and  his  allies  to  deprive  the  church  and 
the  world  of  the  "lively  oracles;''  therefore,  as  he 
promised  a  blessing  on  the  reader  of  this  book,  as  it 
were  on  the  title-page,  here  in  the  close  he  appends 
a  malediction,  that  all  who  read  or  hear,  may  be  de- 
terred from  such  sacrilege. 

20.  He  which  testifieth  these  things  saith,  Surely  I  come 
quicklj:   Amen.     Even  so,  come,  Lord  Jesus. 

V.  20. — "He  which  testifieth  these  things"  is  the 
Lord  Jesus.  Again  he  reminds  all  to  whom  these 
presents  come,  of  his  certain  and  speedy  appearance. 
These  frequent  assurances  are  not  '*  vain  repetitions." 
They  are  intended  to  strengthen  the  faith  and  coun- 
teract the  despondency  of  the  saints,  and  to  alarm 
the  consciences  of  his  enemies.  (2  Pet.  iii.  3,  4,  8,  10  ; 
Jude  14,  15.)  To  this  "promise  of  his  coming,'' 
John  responds  in  the  name  of  the  whole  church, — 
"Amen.    Even  so,  come.  Lord  Jesus,"  to  fulfil  these 


304  NOTES   ON  THE  APOCALYPSE. 

predictions,  in  their  promises  and  threatenings ;  *'to 
be  glorified  in  his  saints,  and  admired  in  all  them 
that  believe."  ''So  shall  they  ever  be  with  the 
Lord."  (1  Thess.  iv.  17.) 

21.  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you  all. 
Amen. 

y.  21. — These  are  also  the  words  of  John.  He 
had  just  been  addressing  the  "Lord  Jesus,''  and  his 
next  words  are  addressed  to  the  *' seven  churches,'* 
(ch.  i.  4,  11,)  or  to  all  who  read  or  hear  the  words  of 
this  book:  but  especially  the  church  general.  This 
is  a  concise  form  of  the  "apostolic  benediction," 
(2  Thess.  iii.  18,)  which  is  sometimes  amplified,  by 
naming  the  Father  and  the  Son ;  or,  at  other  times, 
the  three  divine  persons.  (2  Cor.  xiii.  14.)  However, 
"the  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ"  is  originally 
from  God  the  Father,  procured  for  us  by  Jesus  Christ, 
and  communicated  to  us  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  And 
unto  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  let 
equal,  undivided,  and  everlasting  glory  be  ascribed, 
by  all  the  subjects  of  his  regenerating  and  sanctify- 
ing grace,  "throughout  all  ages,  world  without  end.'' 
Amen. 


APPENDIX. 


THE    NEW  JERUSALEM. 

Interpreters  are  much  divided  in  opinion  as  to  the  import 
of  this  sj'mbol.  Some  think  it  represents  the  church  on  earth 
during  the  period  of  the  millennium;  v;hile  others,  no  less 
learned  and  pious,  consider  it  as  an  emblematical  representa- 
tion of  the  heavenly  state.  Of  those  who  acquiesce  in  the 
former  view,  some  consider  the  arguments  ''quite  conclu- 
sive." It  may  be  conceded  that  much  may  be  advanced,  and 
with  great  plausibility,  in  support  of  this  position. 

Perhaps  the  most  specious  arguments  to  this  purpose  are 
such  as  the  following: — "That  the  New  Jerusalem  is  distin- 
guished from  the  Old,  because  of  the  superior  light  and  grace 
of  the  present  dispensation  of  the  Covenant.  Moreover,  the 
glowing  descriptions  of  the  church  militant  given  by  the 
prophets,  especially  Isaiah,  are  thought  to  be  as  boldly  rheto- 
rical as  those  of  John;  yet  those  lofty  flights  are  confessedly 
descriptive  of  the  church  on  earth.  Besides,  who  can  con- 
ceive how  ' '  the  kings  of  the  earth  bring  their  glory  and 
honour  into"  the  heavenly  state?  or  how  are  "the  leaves  of 
the  tree  of  life  for  the  healing  of  the  nations,"  when  there  are 
no  nations  to  he  healed?  etc. 

To  these  arguments  the  following  answers  may  be  given. 

The  church  is  one  under  all  changes  of  dispensation,  and 
by  what  names  soever  she  is  called:  but  it  does  not  appear 
that  we  are  warranted  by  Scripture  usage  to  view  the  New 
Jerusalem  as  a  designation  of  the  church  in  her  militant 
state.  She  is  indeed  sometimes  called  in  the  New  Testament 
by  Old  Testament  names:  as  when  Paul  calls  her  by  the 
name  Zion,  (Heb.  xii.  22.)  But  he  does  not  say,  new  Ziou. 
Again,  when  our  Lord  promises,  (as  in  Rev.  iii.  12,^  to  re- 
ward "him  that  overcometh,"  it  must  be  supposed  from  the 
connexion,  that,  as  in  all  similar  cases  of  spiritual  conflict, 
this  reward  is  to  be  conferred  in  a  future  state, — heaven.  But 
part  of  the  reward  he  describes  in  these  words: — "I  will 
write  upon  him  the  name  of  the  city  of  my  God,  which  is 
New  Jerusalem."    Surely  it  may  be  supposed  without  pre- 

8C5 


806  NOTES  ON  THE  APOCALYPSE. 

sumption,  that  in  this  place  New  Jerusalem  means  heaven. 
Nor  is  the  assumption  true, — that  the  descriptive  language 
of  the  Old  Testament  prophets  is  always  to  be  understood  of 
the  church  on  earth.  For  instance,  can  the  following  lan- 
guage (Is.  xxxiii.  24,)  be  predicated  of  the  saints  while  in  the 
body: — "The  inhabitant  shall  not  say,  I  am  sick?"  "The 
glory  and  honour  of  the  nations"  are  the  "saints  of  God, 
the  excellent;"  who  while  here,  are  "the  light  of  the  world, 
the  salt  of  the  earth;"  and  doubtless  nations  as  well  as  fami- 
lies and  individuals  "  have  learned  by  experience  that  the 
Lord  hath  blessed  them  for  their  sakes:"  (Gen.  xxx.  27; 
xxxix.  5;) — and  that  he  has  also  "reproved  kings"  and  de- 
stroyed nations  for  their  sakes,  (Ps.  cv.  14;  Is.  xliii.  3,  4.) 
And  when  all  the  saints  who  are  to  rule  the  nations,  (Rev. 
XX.  4,  6,)  for  a  thousand  years,  shall  have  been  brought  home 
to  glory,  then  emphatically  will  the  glory  and  honour  of  the 
nations  be  brought  into  the  New  Jerusalem. 

As  to  the  "leaves  of  the  tree  for  the  healing  of  the  na- 
tions," it  may  be  remarked,  that  their  sanative  virtue  will 
have  been  experienced  by  national  societies  on  earth:  and 
there  is  not,  there  never  was,  nor  will  there  ever  be,  any  other 
healing  medicine  for  them,  (Ezek.  xlvii.  12  )  In  addition 
to  what  has  been  said,  it  is  worthy  of  notice  that  the  tree  of 
life,  in  alliTsion  to  the  delights  of  the  garden  of  Eden,  which 
was  an  emblem  of  heaven,  is  mentioned  in  tlie  Apocalypse, 
near  the  beginning  and  near  the  end  of  the  book,  (chs.  ii.  7; 
xxii.  2.)  Now,  we  are  told  expressly  that  this  tree  is  "  in  the 
midst  of  Paradise."  But  we  learn  both  from  our  Lord  and 
the  apostle  Paul  that  Paradise  signifies  heaven: — "  To-day 
Shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  Paradise,"  said  Christ  to  the  peni- 
tent thief.  "I  was  caught  up  into  Paradise;"  that  is,  "the 
third  heaven,"  said  Paul.  Did  Christ  and  Paul  mean  the 
visible,  or  the  invisible  church  militant  by  the  name  Para 
dise  ?  But  the  tree  of  life  flourishes  there,  and  all  the  re- 
deemed eat  of  its  fruit.  They  are  where  the  tree  is,  the  tree 
is  in  Paradise,  and  Paradise  is  heaven  itself:  therefore  we  are 
warranted  to  conclude  with  certainty  that  New  Jerusalem  is 
a  symbol  of  the  church  triumphant;  and,  consequently,  that 
those  parts  of  chapters  twenty-one  and  twenty-two,  which 
are  of  symbolic  structure,  are  descriptive  of  the  heavenly- 
state. 

THE   ANTICHRIST. 

This  word  does  not  occur  in  the  Apocalypse,  nor  in  any 
other  book  of  the  New  Testament  except  the  first  and  second 
epistles,  by  the  apostle  John.  There  it  is  found  in  the  singu- 
lar and  plural  form.  (1  John  ii.  18,  22;  iv.  3;  ii.  7.)    The 


APPENDIX.  307 

apostles  in  their  ministry  had  spoken  frequently  and  fami- 
liarly to  the  disciples  of  this  personage,  as  an  enemy  of  God 
and  man.  "Ye  have  heard  that  Antichrist  shall  come." 
*'  Rememher  ye  not,"  asks  Paul,  "that,  when  I  was  yet  with 
you,  I  told  you  these  things?"  (3  Thess.  ii.  5.)  Paul  blames 
his  countrymen,  the  Hebrews,  that  they  had  need  that  one 
should  teach  them  again  which  be  the  first  principles  of  the 
oracles  of  God,  (Heb.  v.  12.)  And  it  is  just  so  now,  in  the 
case  of  most  professing  Christians,  learned  and  illiterate; 
they  yet  need  to  be  taught  again  what  is  meant  by  Anti- 
christ. 

All  who  are  acquainted  with  the  sentiments  of  the  reform- 
ers of  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries  are  aware  that 
their  conceptions  of  this  enemy  were  vague  and  confused. 
Persecuted  as  heretics  and  apostates  from  the  only  true  church , 
the  church  of  Rome,  the  reformers  very  naturally  concluded 
that  the  Pope,  or  the  church  of  which  he  is  the  visible  head, 
was  the  Antichrist.  And  this  opinion  is  very  generally  held 
at  the  present  day. 

Mr.  Faber,  however,  dissents  from  this  popular  notion, 
and  with  much  confidence  and  plausibility  broaches  a  new 
theory  of  his  own.  His  style  is  always  forcible,  and  so  per- 
spicuous that  he  cannot  be  misunderstood.  In  his  "Disser- 
tation on  the  Prophecies,"  he  lays  down  the  following  canon 
or  rule  for  expositors: — "Before  a  commentator  can  reasona- 
bly expect  his  own  system  to  be  adopted  by  others,  he  must 
show  likewise  that  the  expositions  of  his  predecessors  are  er- 
roneous in  those  points  wherein  he  ditfers  from  them."  To 
enforce  this  rule  he  adds, — "  It  will  be  found  to  be  the  only 
way,  in  which  there  is  even  a  probability  of  attaining  to  the 
truth."  I  can  neither  admit  the  justness  of  his  rule,  nor  the 
conclusiveness  of  his  reason;  for  by  its  adoption,  "of  making 
many  books  there  would  be  no  end;  and  the  world  itself 
could  not  contain  the  books  that  should  be  written."  To 
deduce  the  truth  from  any  portion  of  God's  word,  it  is  bj  no 
means  necessary  that  the  expositor  shall  undertake  the  Her- 
culean task  of  refuting  all  the  heresies  and  vagaries  which 
"men  of  corrupt  minds"  have  pretended  or  attempted  to 
wring  out  of  it.  But  as  Mr.  Faber  is  not  to  be  reckoned  in  this 
category,  I  shall  pay  him  so  much  deserved  respect  as  to  ap- 
ply to  himself  7m  own  rule  in  some  following  particulars: — 

By  a  formal  syllogism  Mr.  Faber  proposes  to  overthrow 
the  generally  received  interpretation  of  the  term  Antichrist^ 
thatit  means,  tlie  Papacy^  or,  the  Church  of  Rome.  Thus  he 
reasons: — "He  is  Antichrist  that  denietli  tlie  Father  and  the 
Son:  but  the  Church  of  Rome  never  denied  either  the  Father 
or  the  Son:  therefore  the  church  of  Home  cannot  be  the  Anti- 


308  NOTES  ON  THE  APOCALi'PSE. 

Christ  intended  by  St.  John."  Now,  in  this  argument,  which 
seems  to  be  so  clear  and  conclusive,  there  is  a  latent  sophism, 
an  assumption  contrary  to  the  Scriptures.  The  false  assump- 
tion is,  that  the  word  denieth  is  univocal;  that  is,  that  it  has 
in  the  Bible,  and  on  this  doctrinal  point  in  particular,  only 
one  sense;  whereas  this  is  not  the  case.  The  Church  of  Rome 
does  indeed  "profess  to  know"  the  Father  and  the  fSon,  but 
"in  works  denies"  both,  (1  Tim.  v.  8;  Tit.  i.  16.)  There- 
fore  Mr.  Faber's  conclusion  is  not  sustained  by  his  premises, 
and  the  Church  of  Rome  might  be  the  Antichrist  for  any  thing 
that  his  syllogism  says  to  the  contrary. 

Mr.  Faber  imagined  that  "Republican  France, — infidel  and 
atheistical  France," — was  the  Antichrist;  and  he  labored  with 
much  ingenuity  to  sustain  his  position  by  applying  to  revolu- 
tionary France  the  latter  part  of  the  eleventh  chapter  of  Da- 
niel, together  with  the  prophecies  of  Paul,  Peter  and  Jude. 
I  presume  that  most  divines  and  intelligent  Christians  are  long 
since  convinced,  by  the  developments  of  Providence,  that  he 
was  mistaken.  The  commotions  of  the  French  Revolution 
and  the  military  achievements  of  the  first  Napoleon,  however 
important  to  peninsular  Europe,  were  on  much  too  limited  a 
scale  to  correspond  with  the  magnitude  and  duration  of  the 
great  Antichrist's  achievements.  They  were,  however,  owing 
to  their  proximity  to  Britain  and  their  threatening  aspect,  of 
sufficient  importance  to  excite  the  alarm  and  rouse  the  politi- 
cal antipathies  of  the  Vicar  of  Stockton  upon-Tees  I  Mr.  Fa- 
ber's Antichrist  is  an  ''  infidel  king,  wilful  king,  an  atheistical 
king,  a  professed  atheist,"  of  short  duration,  and  his  influence 
of  limited  geographical  extent.  He  is  not  in  most  of  these 
features  the  Antichrist  of  prophecy,  whose  baleful  influence  is 
co-extensive  with  Christendom,  and  whose  duration  is  to  be 
1260  years.  Mr.  Faber's  erudition  is  to  be  respected,  his  im- 
agination admired,  but  his  political  feelings  to  be  lamented. 
Indeed,  his  very  ecclesiastical  title  of  office, — "Vicar,"  is  it- 
self partly  indicative  and  symbolical  of  the  prophetic  Anti- 
christ. 

I  do  not  believe  that  infidel  France,  whether  republican  or 
monarchical,  nor  the  Papacy,  nor  the  Church  of  Rome,  is  the 
Antichrist  of  the  apostle  John ;  yet  I  do  believe  that  all  these 
are  essential  elements  in  his  composition.  The  following  are 
the  principal  component  parts  of  that  complex  moral  peison, 
as  defined  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  which  any  disciple  of  Christ 
without  much  learning  may  identify  John's  Antichrist.  His 
elemental  parts  are  three,  and  only  three,  and  all  presented 
in  the  thirteenth  chapter  of  Revelation.  The  "beast  of  the 
sea,  (vs.  1,  2,)  the  "beast  of  the  earth,"  (v.  11,)  and  «be 
''image  of,  or  to  the  first  beast,"  (v.  14,)  that  is,  the  Roman 


APPENDIX.  309 

empire,  the  Roman  church  and  the  Pope:  all  thpse  in  combi- 
nation, professing  Christianity;  these,  with  their  adjuncts  as 
subordiu'ate  agencies  constitute  the  Apocalyptic  Antichrist. 
Besides  this  personage,  well  defined  by  the  inspired  prophets, 
Daniel,  Paul,  John  and  others,  there  is  no  other  Antichrist. 
An  "infidel  king,  a  professed  atheist,"  as  distinct  from  this 
one  and  symbolized  in  prophetic  revelation,  I  find  not.  1  con- 
clude that  such  a  personage  is  wholly  chimerical,  framed  as  a 
creature  of  a  lively  imagination. 

THE   IMAGE    OF   THE    BEAST. 

Mr.  Faber  is  unsuccessful  in  his  interpretation  of  the  ** image 
of  the  beast."  His  reasoning  is  ingenious,  specious  and  in- 
telligible as  usual.  He  labours  to  prove  that  the  worshipping 
of  images  by  the  Papists  is  the  meaning  of  the  symbol.  Mate- 
rial images,  however,  whether  of  papal  origin  or  otherwise,  are 
harmless  vanities:  ''for  they  cannot  do  evil,  neither  also  is  it 
in  them  to  do  good,"  (Jer.  x.  5.)  The  case  is  quite  other- 
wise with  this  image.  It  has  "life,  speaks,  and  has  power  to 
/fcjZZ,"  (Rev.  xiii.  15.)  These  properties  of  John's  "image" 
are  so  opposite  to  those  of  the  Papal  images,  that  they  effect- 
ually confute  Mr.  Faber's  fanciful,  not  to  say  whimsical  theory. 
It  has  been  already  shown  that  the  "image"  symbolizes  the 
Papacy,  ihe  fac  simile  of  the  Roman  emperor. 

THE  beast's  ''^deadly  wound.^^ 

The  Erastian  heresy,  the  usual  concomitant  of  prelacy,  will 
readily  account  for  Mr.  Faber's  explanation  of  the  "deadly 
wound,"  which  the  first  beast  received  in  his  sixth  head. 
Constantine,  he  thinks,  inflicted  that  wound  by  abolishing  pa- 
ganism. He  writes  as  though  the  beast  had  been  actually 
killed,  and  had  lain  literally  dead  for  a  period  of  nearly  three 
centuries!  (viz.,  from  313  till  606.)  Yet  the  apostle  assures 
us  that  the  "deadly  wound  was  healed."  The  beast  did  not 
die.  Daniel  gives  no  hint  of  the  death  of  his  fourth  beast, 
which  is  the  same  as  John's  beast  of  the  sea,  until  his  final 
destruction  at  the  close  of  the  1200  years.  It  was  in  fact  un- 
der the  reigns  of  Constantine  and  his  successors,  th^it  ambi- 
tious pastors  were  nurtured  into  anlichristian  prelates,  and 
passed  by  a  natural  transition  into  Popery.  The  empire  never 
ceased  to  be  a  beast  during  the  whole  period  of  its  continu- 
ance. The  sixth  Jiead  was  wounded,  but  the  beast  still  sur- 
vived. The  sixth  or  imperial  form  of  government  was  changed, 
but  that  change  brought  no  advantage  to  the  Christian  church 
either  in  her  doctrine  or  order.     As  a  distinct  horn  of  this 


310  NOTES  ON  THE  APOCALYPSE. 

beast  the  British  nation  with  her  hierarchy  is  easily  traceable 
to  mystic  Babylon  in  point  of  maternity.  Since,  as  well  as 
before  the  time  of  Henry  the  Eighth,  spiritual  fornication  has 
ever  been  the  crime  of  the  "British  Establishment."  This 
historical  fact  requires  no  proof. 

Mr.  Faber  setn  -3  lo  me  to  give  too  little  prominence  in  his 
exposition  to  Daniel  and  John's  beast  of  the  sea,  as  an  enemy 
to  Christ.  Indeed,  he  appears  to  overlook  the  leading  idea 
involved  in  tite  name  Antichrist,  a.8&  substitutionary,  false,  and 
therefore  inimical  or  hostile  christ.  Instead  of  keeping  before 
his  mind  the  glorious  person  of  the  Mediator  as  the  special 
object  of  Antichrist's  enmity,  as  prophecy  requires,  he  places 
before  him  the  church  or  the  gospel  instead  of  Christ.  Hence 
he  writes  thus: — "  We  find  in  the  predictions  of  St.  John, — 
(why  not  St-  Daniel?)  two  great  enemies  of  the  gospel,  Popery 
and  Mohammedisra."  Then  he  adds, — "a  third  power  is  in- 
troduced," (Preface,  p.  7.)  This  "third  power"  he  calls  "a 
wilful  infidel  king,"  and,  as  already  noticed,  interprets  it  of 
"atheistical  France"  Now,  it  will  be  evident  to  the  intelli- 
gent reader  that  among  his  "three  powers"  considered  by 
Lim  as  "enemi<-s  to  the  gospel,"  he  has  entirely  lost  sight  of 
the  seven-headed  ten-horned  heast^  and  his  hostility  to  Christ! 
He  has,  in  fact,  manifestly  substituted  his  imaginary  "wilful 
king, — infidel  France,  for  the  lioman  empire,  the  beast  of  Da- 
niel and  John,  the  agent  that  slays  the  witnesses,  (Rev.  xi.  7.) 
To  almost  every  expositor,  and  in  his  lucid  moments,  even  to 
Mr.  Faber  himself,  it  is  apparent,  that  the  Roman  empire  is 
the  primary  element  in  the  complex  personage  that  wars 
against  the  Lamb.  Even  kings  are  but  horns  of  the  beast,  and 
Popery  but  a  horn.  (Dan.  vii.  20;  Rev.  xvii.  12,  13.) 

It  is  therefore  a  great  mistake  on  the  part  of  this  learned 
author,  to  feign  an  Antichrist  distinct  from  the  three  conrede- 
rated  enemies  of  Christ  and  his  witnesses, — enemies  so  clearly 
pointed  out  in  prophecy  by  appropriate  and  intelligible  sym- 
bols:— the  beast  with  ten,  and  the  beast  with  two  horns,  and 
the  image  of  the  first.  These  three,  all  professing  the  Chris- 
tian religion,  and  practically  denying  it,  without  the  shadow 
of  a  doubt,  constitute  the  Antichrist  of  John,  (1  John  ii. 
19-21.)  This  is  the  identical  enemy  described  by  Daniel,  and 
according  to  the  inspired  predictions  of  both  prophets,  doomed 
to  eternal  destruction,  (Dan.  vii.  11;  Rev.  xix.  20.)  Hence 
it  is  obvious  that  Mr.  Faber's  "wilful  king"  is  wholly  a  crea- 
ture of  his  own  fancy,  constituting  no  feature  of  the  prophetic 
Antichrist. 

THE    LITTLE    BOOK. 

This  symbol  is  in  the  tenth  chapter  evidently  distinguished 
from  the  one  in  the  fifth  chapter.     It  is  considered  by  several 


APPENDIX.  311 

interpreters  as  containing  all  that  follows  to  the  end  of  the 
book.  According  to  this  view,  it  would  be  larger  than  the 
sealed  book,  (ch.  v.  1.)  Such  a  view  is  altogether  untenable, 
involving,  as  it  does,  almost  a  palpable  contradiction.  The 
little  book  is  indeed  comprehended  in  the  sealed  book,  as  a 
part  of  the  whole;  or  it  may  be  viewed  as  an  appendix  or  co- 
dicil, or  perhaps  still  more  correctly  as  a  parenthesis,  inter- 
rupting the  series  of  the  trumpets,  that  the  object  of  the  seventh 
or  last  woe-trumpet  maybe  thus  described  and  rendered  intel- 
ligible when  sounded. 

Mr.  Faber  is  correct  in  saying,  'Hhe  eleventh,  twelfth,  thir- 
teenth and  fourteenth  chapters,  in  point  of  chronology  run 
parallel  to  each  other;  but  he  is  mistaken  when  he  says  the 
''little  book  comprehends  these  four  chapters."  It  compre- 
hends only  so  much  as  intervenes  between  the  close  of  the 
ninth  chapter  and  the  fifteenth  verse  of  the  eleventh  chapter ; 
or,  in  other  words,  between  the  sounding  of  the  sixth  and 
seventh  trumpet.  To  be  more  correct  and  explicit, — the  tenth 
chapter  introduces  the  little  book,  and  the  eleventh  chapter, 
from  the  first  to  the  fourteenth  verse  inclusive,  exhibits  an  ab 
stract  of  its  contents, — a  condensed  narrative  or  mere  outline 
of  the  contest  during  the  1260  years. 

THE    DEATH    OF    THE    WITNESSES. 

Many  divines  have  considered  the  death  of  the  two  witnesses, 
as  consisting  in  a  moral  slaying,  equivalent  to  apostacy.  Mr. 
Faber  views  their  life  and  death  as  altogether  political.  He 
censures  Mr.  Galloway  for  "  want  of  strict  adherence  to  unity 
of  symbolical  interpretation,  but  he  inadvertently  falls  into  the 
same  error.  Assuming,  as  he  does,  that  the  two  witnesses  are 
the  Old  and  New  Testament  Churches,  where  is  the  "unity 
of  symbolical  interpretation"  when  he  tells  us  that  the  wit- 
nesses were  politically  slain  in  the  "disastrous  battle  of  Mul- 
burgh  in  the  year  1547,  by  the  total  route  of  the  protestants 
under  the  lead  of  the  Elector  of  Saxony  and  the  Landgrave  of 
Hesse?"  The  political  death  of  two  churches  in  the  battle  of 
Mulburghl — Such  language  exemplifies  neither  the  accuracy 
of  historic  narrative,  nor  the  "unity  of  symbolical  interpreta- 
tion:" nor  does  it  accord  with  another  rule  of  the  writer,  one 
of  bis  three  cardinal  rules,  namely, — That  "no  interpretation 
of  a  prophecy  is  valid,  except  the  prophecy  agree  in  every 
particular  with,  the  event  to  which  it  is  supposed  to  relate." 
Mistaking  the  character  of  the  witnesses,  as  one  of  the  prima- 
ry symbols  in  the  Apocalypse,  he  is  unable  to  ascertain  in 
history  either  their  identity  or  work,  their  life  or  their  death. 
Having  imagined  their  political  death  in  1547,  he  supposes 


312  NOTES   ON  THE  APOCALYPSE. 

their  resurrection  to  political  life  in  1550, — ''by  the  accession 
of  Edward  the  Sixth  to  the  throne  of  England!"  and  the  defeat 
of  the  Duke  of  Mecklenburgh  in  the  October  of  that  year  II" 
Of  course,  these  witriesses,  according  to  Mr.  Faber's  interpre- 
tation, resumed  their  function  of  prophesying  so  soon  as  they 
were  restored  to  political  life:  but  we  look  in  vain  for  the  pro- 
phesying of  the  mystic  witnesses  after  their  ascension  to  the 
symbolic  heaven,  (Rev.  xi.  12.)  As  we  have  shown  to  the 
readers  of  these  Notes,  their  lives  and  their  testimony,  or  pro- 
phesying, terminate  together,  (eh.  xi.  7;  xii.  11.) 


THE    MARK   OF    THE    BEAST. 

'*  With  regard  to  the  murk  of  the  bpast,"  Mr.  Faber  "  thinks, 
with  Sir  Ipaao  Newton,  that  it  is  the  cross,^'  (p.  176.)  This 
thought  has  indeed  been  almost  universal  in  the  minds  of  pro- 
testants.  So  deep-seated  is  this  conviction  in  the  popular  be- 
lief, that  one  is  deemed  chargeable  with  temerity,  if  not  some- 
thing worse,  who  would  call  its  grounds  in  question.  Popular 
opinion,  or  belief  in  matters  of  this  spiritual  and  mystical  na- 
ture, is,  however,  of  very  little  weight  in  the  estimation  of  such 
as  are  accustomed  to  "  try  the  spirits."  Although  the  mark 
was  to  be  received  at  the  instance  and  by  the  authority  of  the 
two  horned  be-st  of  the  earth,  it  was  not  enjoined  as  a  mark 
of  devotion  to  himself.  It  was  manifestly  commanded  by  him 
as  a  tessera  of  loyalty  to  the  ten- horned  beast  of  the  sea,  the 
obvious  symbol  of  corrupt  and  tyrannical  civil  power.  In- 
stead therefore  of  the  cross  as  a  sign  of  devotion  to  Popery, — 
of  membership  in  the  church  of  Rome,  as  identifying  with  the 
beast's  mark,  this  mark  is  evidently  and  demonstrably  the  tes- 
sera of  loyalty  to  the  Roman  empire, — immoral  civil  power; 
and  this,  too,  in  any  of  the  dependencies  of  that  iron  empire, 
(Dan.  ii.  40;  vii.  7.) 

From  the  errors  and  vagaries  of  this  learned  and  acute  ex- 
positor, some  of  which  have  been  pointed  out,  it  is  apparent 
that  no  amount  of  intellectual  culture,  no  natural  powers  of 
discrimination,  no  logical  or  metaphysical  acumen,  will  com- 
pensate for  the  want  of  early  and  accurate  training  in  the 
knowledge  of  supernatural  revelation.  On  the  prophetical 
and  priestly  offices  of  our  Redeemer,  some  of  the  English  pre- 
lates have  written  with  a  force,  perspicuity  and  zeal  against 
the  heresies  of  the  Romish  apostacy,  not  excelled  by  the 
writings  of  those  who  have  dissented  from  the  semi-papal 
hierarchy  of  the  Anglican  Church.  But  on  the  royal  office  of 
Immanuel,  their  prelatic  training  and  associations  seem  to 
have  blinded  their  minds.  "No  bishop,  no  king,''  u  a  maxim 
which  seems  to  lie  at  the  foundation  of  all  their  political  dis- 


APPENDIX.  313 

quisitions  and  speculations,  and  which  gives  a  tincture  to  all 
their  expositions  of  prophecy.  Nevertheless,  even  in  this 
field  of  labor,  the  diligent  student  may  consult  with  much  ad- 
vantage the  learned  works  of  such  writers  as  the  two  Newtons, 
Kett,  Galloway,  Whitaker,  Zouch,  with  their  predecessors, 
Lowman,  Mede  and  others. 

After  all,  the  best  works  to  be  obtained  as  helps  to  under- 
stand the  prophetic  parts  of  Scripture,  will  be  found  in  the 
labors  of  those  who,  from  age  to  age,  have  obeyed  the  gra- 
cious call  of  Christ,— who  have  "come  out  from  mystic  Baby- 
lon," from  the  Romish  communion,— from  the  mother  and 
her  harlot  daughters,  and  who  have  associated  more  or  less 
intimately  with  the  witnesses.  Among  these  may  be  consulted 
with  profit  the  works  of  Durham,  Mason  and  M'Leod.  But 
while  searching  after  the  mind  of  God  revealed  in  this  part  of 
his  word,  let  us  never  exercise  implicit  faith  in  the  teachings 
of  any  fallible  expositor.  Let  us  always  regard  the  injunction 
of  our  apostle:— "Beloved,  believe  not  every  spirit,  but  try 
the  spirits  whether  they  are  of  God."  Of  course,  the  only  in- 
fallible standard  by  which  we  can  try  the  spirits  is  the  whole 
word  of  God, — "  comparing  spiritual  things  with  spiritual." 

THE    FIRST    RESURRECTION. 

Bishop  Newton,  among  those  divines  distinguished  in  eccle- 
siastical history  as  Millenarians,  may  be  regarded  as  one  of 
the  most  learned,  judicious  and  cautious.  The  amount  of  the 
deductions  which  this  class  of  writers  draw  from  the  scripture 
phrase  "  first  resurrection,"  and  its  context,  confirmed  as  they 
suppose  by  many  othrr  parts  of  Scripture,  appears  to  be  the 
following:— All  the  righteous  shall  be  raised  from  their  graves 
to  meet  our  Saviour  coming  from  heaven  at  the  beginning  of 
the  Millennium:  he  and  these  saints,  clothed  in  real  human 
bodies,  are  to  dwell  and  reign  together  upon  a  renovated  earth 
during  that  happy  period.  Indeed,  writers  on  this  interesting 
subject  differ  so  much  in  details,  that  no  well-defined  theory 
or  system  can  be  discovered  among  them.  The  literal  resur- 
rection of  the  bodies  of  the  saints,  and  the  corporeal  presence  of 
»  Christ  among  them,  seem  to  be  the  cardinal  points  of  agree- 
ment with  this  class  of  expositors;  and  from  this  literal  inter- 
pretation of  the  resurrection  of  the  righteous  and  bodily  ap- 
pear ance  of  the  Saviour,  they  either  took  or  received  the  name 
Millenarians.  Other  Christians,  however,who  differ  from  them 
in  the  interpretation  of  symbols,  are  no  less  believers  in  a 
millennium  than  they,— a  thousand  years  of  righteousness  and 
peace  on  the  earth. 

Bishop  Newton  understands  "this  '  first  resurrection '  of  a 


314  NOTES   ON  THE  APOCALYPSE. 

particular  resurrection  precedicg  the  general  one  at  least  a 
thousand  years."  "It  is  to  this  first  re-^urrection,"  says  he, 
"that  St.  Paul  alludes,  (1  Thess.  iv.  16,)  when  he  affirms  that 
the  'dead  in  Chrst  shall  rise  first,*  and  (I  Cor.  xv.  23;)  that 
every  man  shall  be  made  alive  in  his  own  order,  Christ  the  first 
fruits,  afterwards  they  that  are  Christ's  at  his  coming."  It  is 
surprising  that  a  person  of  the  Bishop's  learning  should  so 
readily  mistake  the  sound  for  the  sense  of  the  words  which  he 
quotes.  Wnile  the  apostle  is,  for  the  "comfort"  of  the  saints, 
treating  of  i?ieir  resurrection,  he  is  evidently  speaking  of  the 
general  resurrection  at  the  end  of  time.  In  the  morning  of  the 
resurrection  Christ's  members  will  be  raised  after  the  manner 
and  in  virtue  of  his  resurrection, — "the  first  fruits"  securing 
the  folio *ing  harvest,  in  obvious  allusion  to  the  ceremonial 
law.  In  the  other  case,  when  Paul  says,  "the  dead  in  Christ 
shall  rise  first,"  does  he  mean, — before  "the  rest  of  the  dead?" 
No,  but  before  those  of  their  redeemed  brethren  who  shall  then 
be  "alive  and  remain;''  for  these  "shall  not  prevent  (anti- 
cipate) them  virhich  are  asleep,"  {in  the  grave.)  That  is,  the 
bodies  of  the  saints  who  have  died  shall  be  raised  in  glory,  be- 
fore those  then  alive  shall  undergo  a  change  equivalent  to  that 
of  the  resurrection.  8uch  is  manifestly  the  meaning^  of  the 
apostle's  pUin  language  which  has  no  reference  whatever  to 
the  millennium,  not  even  the  remotest  allusion.  Nothing  but 
a  groundless  preconception  of  the  nature  of  the  millennium 
will  account  for  the  sound  of  words  taking  the  place  of  their 
tiense  in  the  reader's  mind,  and  no  degree  of  mere  scholarship 
can  obviate  this  propensity  of  the  human  mind  in  "  the  things 
of  the  Spirit  of  (iod." 

Not  only  does  the  learned  prelate  misapprehend  and  misap- 
ply the  texts  above  quoted  to  support  his  theory,  but  he  makes 
a  gratuitous  concession,  which  is  at  once  fatal  to  his  scheme 
and  inconsistent  with  himself.  He  says, —  "Indeed,  the  deatli 
and  resurrection  of  the  witnesses  before  mentioned,  (Rev.  xi. 
7,  H,)  appears  from  the  concurrent  circumstances  of  the  vi- 
sion to  be  figurative.''''  The  Bishop  evidently  viewed  the  wit- 
nesses of  the  eleventh  chapter  as  a  company  altogether  diffe- 
rent from  those  of  whom  John  speaks  in  the  twentieth  chapter, 
(vs.  4,  5.)  This  is  another  of  his  surprising  mistakes;  for  that  ^ 
the  identical  party  as  a  moral  person  appears  in  both  parts  of 
the  symbolic  and  allegorical  representation  will  readily  appear 
to  any  unbiassed  mind  by  an  induction  of  the  following  parti- 
culars. 

These  witnesses  are  to  continue  "prophesying  1260  days 
{years,)  (Rev.  xi.  3.)  Then  they  ere  killed,  (v.  7.)  But  we 
learn  that  in  death  they  are  victorious^  (ch  xii.  11  )  They 
triumph  "with  the  Lamb  on  Mount  Zion,"  (ch.  xiv    1.)     In 


APPENDIX.  315 

a  similar  attitude  of  triumph  they  again  appear  ''  standing  on 
the  sea  of  glass,  (ch.  xv.  2.)  They  are  with  their  victorious 
King,  (ch.  xvii.  14.)  They  are  exhorted  to  retaliate  upon 
mystic  Babylon,  (xviii.  6.)  They  are  also  engaged  in  the  last 
campaign  with  the  Captain  of  their  salvation,  (ch.  xix.  14,  19, 
20. )  And  at  length  they  are  advanced  to  thrones  of  civil  power 
to  *'  rule  the  nations,  (ch.  xx.  4,)  in  fulfilment  of  Daniel's  pro- 
phecy and  their  Saviour's  promise,  (Dan.  vii.  27;  Kev.  ii.  26, 
27.)  The  death  and  resurrection  of  the  witnesses  is  compen- 
diously stated  in  the  former  part  of  the  eleventh  chapter,  (vs. 
7-14;)  but  these  events,  epitomised  again  in  the  ''little  book,'' 
are  amplified  in  the  subsequent  chapters,  where  we  are  made 
acquainted  more  fully  with  their  enemies,  their  conflicts,  death 
resurrection,  ascension  and  exalation;  and  in  all  these  re- 
spects is  exhibited  their  conformity  to  the  example  of  their 
Captain  and  Leader.  If,  therefore,  according  to  the  Bishop's 
conception,  "the  death  and  resurrection"  of  the  witnesses  in 
the  eleventh  chapter  be  figurative^  and  if  the  witnesses  ot  the 
twentieth  be  the  same  as  tuose  of  the  eleventh  chapter,  which 
identity  I  have  proved,  it  follows  incontrovertibly,  that  the 
"first  resurrection  "  is  to  be  understood  in  a  figurative  sense. 
This  interpretation  may  be  abundantly  confirmed  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner: — The  witnesses  prophesy  1260  years.  But 
since  no  individual  persons  live  so  long,  a  succession  must  be 
supposed.  They  are,  in  fact,  mystic  characters,  having  their 
real  counterpart  in  actual  history  on  this  earth.  The  scarlet 
colored  beast  and  woman,  (ch.  xvii.  3,)  are  of  equal  duration 
with  the  witnesses,  and  of  similar  mystic  character,  and  have 
their  real  counterpart  in  history.  The  witnesses  are  slain  by 
the  beast  at  the  instigation  of  the  woman;  but  their  death  is 
only  temporary,  (ch.  xi.  7,  11;)  their  enemies  ''have  no  more 
that  they  can  do:"  while,  on  the  other  hand,  the  death  of  the 
beast  is  ''perdition," — eternal  death,  (ch.  xvii.  8,)  and  in 
this  death  the  woman, — "the  false  prophet*'  participates,  (ch. 
XIX.  '^0.)  All  this  symbolical  language  respects  Christ's  ene- 
mies as  corporate  or  organized  bodies. 

Here  it  is  proper  to  notice  an  objection  of  Bishop  Newton. 
He  asks, — "  With  what  propriety  can  it  be  said,  that  some  of 
-the  dead  who  were  beheaded  "lived  and  reigned  with  Christ 
a  thousand  years;  but  the  rest  of  the  dead  lived  not  again  until 
the  thousand  years  were  finished;"  unless  the  dyifiga.nd  living 
again  be  the  same  in  both  places?"  Very  true,  the  dying  and 
living  are  doubtless  ''the  same  in  both  places."  The  Bishop's 
mistake  consists  in  taking  these  expressions  in  a  literal  sense, 
"a  proper  death  and  resurrection."  He  evidently  assumes 
that  ''the  rest  of  the  dead,"  here  mentioned,  are  to  be  literally 
raised  at  the  last  day.     This  is  undoubtedly  true,  for  there 


316  NOTES   ON  THE  APOCALYPSE. 

shall  be  a  resurrection of  the  unjust."  (Acts  xxiv.  15,) 

but  it  is  not  the  truth  contained  in  the  words  in  quest  on.  From 
the  assumption  of  the  UteraL  raising  of  ''the  rest  of  the  dead," 
he  infers  the  literal  raising  of  those  that  were  beheaded.  The 
converse  of  this  is  obviously  the  correct  way  of  reasoning.  We 
have  found  that  the  witnesses  are  spoken  of,  (xi.  14,)  Si^  figura- 
tively raised  by  the  Bishop's  own  ackowledgment,  therefore  it 
is  most  natural  and  logical  to  infer  that  "the  rest  of  the  dead  " 
were  to  be  raised  in  the  same  manner,  namely,  figuratively. 
As  at  the  beginning  of  the  millennium. — the  martyrs,  not 
some  of  them  only,  as  the  Bishop  hints,  will  be  raised  in  the 
persons  of  their  legitimate  successors  in  faith  and  practice; 
and  their  faith  and  practice  will  constitute  the  happy  state  of 
the  world  for  a  thousand  years,  so,  when  that  period  shall  have 
expired,  Satan,  being  "loosed  out  of  his  prison,"  (ch.  xx.  8,) 
will  deceive  the  nations  as  before,  and  during  the  "  little  sea- 
son" of  liberty,  will  succeed  in  raising  from  the  dead  as  it 
were,  a  multitude  of  the  same  character  as  those  who  killed 
the  witnesses, — "  Gog  and  Magog."  This  maybe  called  the 
second  resurrection,  and  there  will  never  be  a  third  of  that  kind, 
for  the  Lord  will  destroy  them  for  ever,  (ch.  xx.  9.)  The 
character  of  the  witnesses  and  their  unparalleled  conflicts  with 
Antichrist  sufficiently  identify  them  in  the  Apocalypse  through- 
out the  1260  years,  as  also  during  the  thousand  years  of  their 
reign;  and  the  character  of  their  enemies  identifies  them  in 
the  time  of  conflict  for  1260  years;  but  during  the  succeed- 
irig  period  of  righteousness  and  peace  for  a  thousand  years, 
they  will  not  be  permitted  to  lift  up  the  head.  And  so  soon 
as  they  are  organized  under  the  conduct  of  Satan,  and  like 
Pharaoh,  most  confident  of  victory,  (Exod.  xv.  9,)  then  ''sud- 
den destruction  cometh  upon  them,  and  they  shall  not  escape." 

THE   IDENTITY   OF    THE    TWO   WITNESSES. 

The  late  Rev.  Alexmder  M'Leod,  D.  D.,  who  had  the 
works  of  learned  predecessors  bt-fore  him,  has  successfully 
corrected  many  of  their  misinterpretations  in  his  valuable  pub- 
lication, entitletl  *'  Lectures  upon  the  Principal  Prophecies  of 
the  Revelation."  At  the  time  when  he  wrote  that  work,  he 
possessed  several  advantages  in  aid  of  his  own  expositions. 
He  had  access  to  the  most  valuable  works  which  had  been  is- 
sued before  that  date,  (1814)  He  was  then  in  the  vigor  of 
youthful  manhood;  and  he  was  also  comparatively  free  from 
the  trammels  which  in  attempts  to  expound  the  Apocalypse, 
have  cramped  the  energies  of  many  a  well-disciplined  mind, 
political  partialities.  At  the  time  of  these  profound  studies,  he 
occupied  a  position  "in  the  wilderness,"   from  which  as  a 


APPENDIX.  317 

stand  point,  like  John  in  Palmos,  he  could  most  advantage- 
ously survey  the  passing  see  les  of  providence  wifch  the  ardor 
of  youthful  emotion,  and  witli  unsullied  affection  for  his  divine 
Master.  With  all  these  advantages,  however,  the  dispassion- 
ate and  impartial  reviewer  may  discover,  in  the  rapid  current 
of  his  thoughts,  that  the  active  powers  of  the  expositor  some- 
times took  precedence  of  the  intellectual.  Two  special  causes 
may  be  assigned  for  this,  hereditary  love  of  liberty,  and  the 
actual  condition  of  society  at  the  time.  Born  in  Scotland, 
the  cradle  of  civil  and  religious  liberty  from  the  days  of  John 
Knox,  Dr.  M'Leod's  traditions  and  mental  associations  were 
necessarily  imbued  with  the  atmosphere  of  such  surroundings. 
To  such  causes  may  be  attributed  occasional  declamation,  ex- 
travagant verbosity  and  unconscious  inconsistencies,  not  well 
comporting  with  the  solidity  and  self  possession  so  desirable 
on  the  part  of  an  expositor.  Yet  even  in  such  outbursts  of 
impassioned  eloquence  we  may  sometimes  discover  noble  con- 
ceptions commanding  our  admiration,  if  not  altogether  such 
as  to  secure  our  approbation.  It  ought  to  be  considered, 
moreover,  that  the  "  Leccures  "  came  from  their  author  in  a 
turbulent,  if  not  in  a  revolutionary  condition  of  society.  Pe- 
ninsular Europe  was  convulsed  by  the  successful  military  ca- 
reer of  that  brilliant  general.  Napoleon.  England  and  the 
United  States  were  also  at  war.  The  independence  and  even 
the  existence  of  the  young  Republic  were  apparently  in  peril. 
The  lecturer  very  naturally  sympathized  with  the  land  of  his 
adoption,  in  which  resided  his  domestic  treasures  and  many 
of  the  "excellent  ones  of  the  earth,"  to  whom  he  was  bound 
by  conjugal,  paternal  and  covenant  ties.  In  a  condition  of 
actual  warfare,  he  could  not  but  feel  most  keenly  the  constric- 
tion of  these  manifold  and  endearing  bonds,  especially  when 
thought  to  be  jeopardized. 

With  these  preliminaries,  and  expressing  my  obligation  to 
the  Doctor's  labors,  to  whose  system  of  interpretation  as  well 
as  to  most  of  his  details,  I  cheerfully  give  my  approbation  in 
preference  to  all  other  expositors  whose  works  it  has  been  in 
my  power  to  consult;  it  is  proposed  briefly  to  review  some  of 
his  expositions  and  sentiments,  from  which  I  crave  liberty  to 
dissent.     "  It  is  not  the  interest  of  any  man  to  be  in  error." 

In  his  interpretation  of  the  seals  and  trumpets  of  the  Apo- 
calypse, Dr.  M'Leod  has  unquestionably  corrected  many  mis- 
apprehensions of  his  learned  predecessors,  especially  Bishop 
Newton  and  Mr.  Faber:  and  it  is  perhaps  to  be  regretted  that  he 
did  not  favor  the  public  with  his  view  of  the  vials  also,  a  work 
which  he  seems  to  have  had  in  contemplation  when  the  "  Lec- 
tures''  were  published.  The  three  last  named  interpreters 
did  certainly  improve  upon  the  expositions  of  all  who  went  be- 
21 


318  NOTES    ON    THE  APOCALYPSE. 

them  in  this  field  of  investigation;  and  in  most  cases  of  dis- 
agreement the  Doctor  excelled  in  accuracy  the  other  two,  as 
will  readily  appear  on  careful  examination. 

In  attempting  to  ascertain  the  import  of  the  mystic  "wit- 
nesses," as  of  the  Antichrist,  expositors  widely  differ.  Bishop 
Newton  says  positively, — "The  witnesses  cannot  be  .  .  .  any 
two  churches."  Mr.  Faber  is  equally  peremptory,  that  they 
"must  be  two  churches,"  and  he  attempts  to  sustain  his  posi- 
tion by  many  citations  of  Scripture,  and  by  much  plausible 
argumentation.  The  Bishop  is  substantially  correct  in  saying, 
"They  are  a  succession  of  men,  and  a  succession  of  churches." 
Mr.  Faber  is  also  correct  in  the  main  when  he  says, — "The 
two  witnesses  signify^  the  spiritual  members  of  the  catholic 
church:"  but  his  notion  of  two  churches,  the  "Old  and  New 
Testament  churches,"  betrays  his  imperfect  conception  of  the 
essential  unity  of  the  church  of  God.  Both  he  and  the  Bishop 
overlook  too  often  the  important  fact  that  civil  magistracy  is  a 
divine  ordinance,  which,  as  corrupted,  constitutes  the  first 
beast  of  the  Apocalypse,  and  the  most  prominent  feature  of  the 
great  Antichrist. 

Doctor  M'Leod's  definition  or  description  of  the  witnesses 
is  as  follows: — "They  are  a  small  company  of  irue  Christians, 
defending  the  interests  of  true  religion  against  all  opposition, 
and  frequently  sealing  with  their  blood  the  testimony  which 
they  hold,"  (p.  314.)  This  description  is  more  definite  than 
either  of  the  two  preceding,  and  is  therefore  worthy  of  prefer- 
ence; yet  the  reader  will  still  wish  for  something  more  precise 
and  tangible.  Since  the  prophets  of  the  Old  and  New  Tes- 
taments reveal  the  hostility  of  the  Devil  to  Christ  and  his  peo- 
ple, and  since  both  Daniel  and  John  represent  this  hostility 
by  appropriate  and  intelligible  symbols,  as  carried  out  by  cor- 
rupting the  two  great  ordinances  oi  church  and  state^  would  it 
not  follow  that  the  witnesses  are  those  Christians  who,  for 
1260  years,  apply  the  word  of  God  to  these  two  ordinances, 
contending  for  a  scriptural  magistracy  and  a  gospel  ministry, — 
the  "Two  Sons  of  Oil;"  and  testifying  against  their  Counter- 
feits? Such  appears  to  be  the  import  of  those  mystical  cha- 
racters of  whom  we  read,  Zech.  iv.  14;  Rev.  xi.  4. 

In  tracing  the  witnesses  through  their  eventful  history  for 
1260  years  as  portrayed  in  the  Apocalypse,  and  in  fixing  with 
precision  their  continuous  identity^  1  am  constrained  reluc- 
tantly to  dissent  from  the  Doctor  and  agree  with  Faber.  Adopt- 
ing the  language  of  "Frazer's  Key,"  Dr.  M'Leod  says, "These 
witnesses  differ  as  much  from  their  cotemporaries,  the  one 
hundred  and  forty-four  thousand  sealed  ones,  (Rev.  vii.  4,)  as 
Elijah  diflFered  from  the  seven  thousand  in  Israel  in  his  time." 
The  attempt  is  made  to  prove  this  assertion  by  the  following 


APJPENDIX.  319 

plausible  argument: — *'God  is  never  for  a  moment  without  a 
people  upon  earth."  This  is  true, — "  And  the  visible  church 
is  an  indesructible  society."  Is  this  assertion^rue ?  It  is 
partly  true,  and  partly  untrue: — "true  of  her  existence  and 
moral  identity,  but  not  of  her  visibility  as  an  organized  body." 
For  example,  where  was  the  visible  church  while  Elijah  "dwelt 
by  the  brook  Cherith?"  (1  Kings  xvii  3,  xix.  10;)  or  while 
the  "woman  was  in  the  wilderness?"  (Rev.  xii.  6.)  Is  it  con- 
sistent with  propriety  to  contemplate  the  woman  as  literally 
visible,  when  she  is  symbolically  "in  the  wilderness?"  This 
seems  to  be  impossible.  I  am  therefore  prepared  to  give  my 
decided  preference  to  the  sentiment  of  Mr.  Faber  contained  in 
the  following  words  of  hia  "  Disserration:"  "The  one  hundred 
and  forty-four  thousand  here  mentioned,  (Rev.  xiv.  1,)  are  the 
immediate  successors  of  the  one  hundred  and  forty  four  thou- 
sand sealed  servan{S  of  God;  (ch.  vii.  4.)  They  are  the  same 
in  short,  as  the  two  witnesses They  constitute  the  perse- 
cuted church  in  the  wilderness.'''' — I  cannot  but  think  the  evi- 
dence of  identity  here  irresistible;  and  in  the  pithy  language 
of  the  Doctor  on  another  point,  I  say, — "A  man  must  shut  his 
eyes  not  to  see"  the  correctness  of  Mr.  Faber's  interpretation 
of  this  identity.  The  Doctor's  censure  of  English  expositors 
in  one  of  his  notes  will  too  often  justly  apply  to  other  di- 
vines in  expounding  prophecy: — ''They  have  greatly  dimi- 
nished the  value  of  their  publications,  by  permitting  them- 
selves to  indulge  so  much  of  the  spirit  of  political  pariiality." 
Doctor  M'Leod  and  Mr.  Faber  I  consider  among  the  best 
expositors  of  the  prophecies  on  which  they  severally  wrote ; 
and  therefore  their  valuable  works  have  been  principally  con- 
templated  in  these  animadversions.  On  material  points  they 
have  shed  much  light  where  those  who  preceded  them  left 
the  reader  in  darkness,  or  involved  him  in  perplexing  laby- 
rinths. Faber  preceded  M'Leod,  and  the  latter  availed  him- 
self of  all  the  aid  furnished  by  the  former;  yet  till  the  "  mys- 
tery of  God  shall  be  finished,"  his  people  will  be  receiving- 
accessions  of  light  from  the  "sure  word  of  prophecy." 

SOUNDING   OF    THE    SEVENTH    TRUMPET. 

At  the  time  when  those  learned  divines  wrote,  the  political 
agitations  'u  Europe  and  America,  as  already  noticed,  gave 
a  peculiar  tincture  to  their  opinions  and  expositions  of  the 
Apocalyptic  symbols.  This  state  of  feeling  on  the  part  of 
these  distinguished  men,  and  on  opposite  sides  of  the  Atlan- 
tic, is  very  strikingly  illustrated  in  their  conflicting  interpre- 
tations of  the  "third  woe," — the  seventh  trumpet.  Amidst 
the  conflict  of  arms  and  the  booming  of  cannon,  in  both  he- 


320  NOTES  ON  THE  APOCALYPSE. 

mispheres,  those  writers  thought  the  first  blast  of  the  seventh 
trumpet  and  third  woe  could  be  distinctly  heard.  They  dif- 
fered widely,  however,  in  their  interpretations  of  its  import 
and  effects.  To  Mr.  Faber,  Napoleon,  who  was  the  most 
conspicuous  figure  in  the  passing  drama,  appeared  as  a  terrific 
Vandal  at  the  head  of  his  legions,  threatening  to  uproot  and 
lay  waste  the  fair  fabric  of  European  civilization.  To  the 
Doctor,  on  the  other  hand,  Napoleon  seemed  the  possible  mi- 
nister of  Providence,  destined  to  prepare  the  way  of  the  Lord, 
and  to  introduce  a  better,  a  scriptural  civilization.  As  time 
has  sufficiently  demonstrated  the  fallacy  of  their  respective 
expositions  of  the  seventh  trumpet,  it  is  needless  to  quote  or 
review  their  speculations. 

The  principal  defect  pervading  the  "Lectures,"  and  one 
which  most  readers  will  be  disposed  to  view  in  an  opposite 
light,  appears  to  be,  a  charity  too  hroad^  a  catholicity  too  ex- 
pansive ,  to  be  easily  reconciled  with  a  consistent  position 
among  the  mystic  witnesses.  Their  author,  however,  de- 
riving much  information  from  the  learned  labours  of  English 
prelates  on  prophecy,  could  not  "  find  in  his  heart"  to  exclude 
them  from  a  place  in  the  honourable  roll  of  the  witnesses.  I  am 
unable  to  recognize  any  of  those  who  are  in  organic  fellow- 
ship with  the  "eldest  daughter  of  Popery,"  as  entitled  to  rank 
among  those  who  are  symbolized  as  "clothed  in  sackcloth." 
The  two  positions  and  fellowships  appear  to  be  obviously  in- 
compatible and  palpably  irreconcilable.  It  is  true  that  there 
have  been  and  still  are  in  the  English  establishment  divines 
who  are  strictly  evangelical;  but  the  reigning  Mediator  views 
and  treats  individuals,  as  he  views  and  treats  the  moral  per 
son  with  which  individuals  freely  choose  to  associate;  and 
we  ought  to  "have  the  mind  of  Christ."  (1  Cor.  ii.  16.) 

Assuming  that  the  third  woe- trumpet  was  sounding  in  his 
ears,  the  Doctor,  transported  with  the  imaginary  but  delight- 
ful prospect,  that  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  were  speedily 
to  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ,  speaks 
of  France  as  follows: — "She  had  given  assistance  to  the  sons 
of  freedom  on  the  plains  and  along  the  shores  of  Columbia, 
until  the  republican  eagle  snatched  the  oppressed  provinces 
from  the  paw  of  the  royal  lion  of  England." — We  may  ad- 
mire the  metaphors  of  the  orator^  while  we  deplore  the  poli- 
tical feeling  of  the  dimne.  It  is  true,  as  the  orator  in  calmer 
moments  reflects, — "The  political  conduct  of  professing 
Christians  is  generally  lamentable;"  and  alas!  this  "lament- 
able conduct"  is  usually  tolerated  and  too  often  exemplified 
by  their  spiritual  guides.  It  has  been  generally  so  since  the 
days  of  Jeroboam  who  "made  priests  of  the  lowest  of  the 
people,"  and  thereby  rendered  the  ministry  the  stipendiaries 


APPENDIX.  321 

of  the  state.  And  as  it  was  then,  even  so  it  is  now,  whether  in 
the  kingdoms,  empires  or  repulDlics  of  the  earth.  "Let  ua," 
with  the  Doctor,  "lament  the  political  conduct  of  Christians 
in  the  present  age  of  the  world." 

Allusion  has  been  already  made  to  seeming  inconsistencies 
in  the  Doctor's  sentiments.  There  is  truth  in  the  adage, — 
'■'■tenipora  mutantitr  et  nos  mutamur  cum  illis^'"' — "times 
change,  and  we  change  with  them."  And  indeed  changes 
are  allowable  in  matters  of  a  circumstantial  nature  which  do 
not  affect  moral  principle.  3loral  principle,  however,  is  in 
its  nature  immutable.  In  the  early  period  of  the  Doctor's 
public  life  he  had  nobly  proved  "Negro  Slavery  Unjustifia- 
ble." But  this  accursed  system  was  from  the  first  interwoven 
with  the  very  framework  of  that  "Republican  America," 
which  in  his  "Lectures"  he  takes  occasion  thus  to  eulogize  ! 

"  We  never  formed  a  street  of  the  mystical  Babylon 

Let  this  be  the  asylum  of  the  oppressed  .  .  She  (Republican 
America)  has  not,  either  by  sea  or  land,  encouraged  oppres- 
sion (?)  or  despoiled  of  his  goods  him  that  was  at  peace  with 
us?" — I  confess  my  inability  to  credit  these  statements,  or  to 
reconcile  them  with  "the  great  moral  principles"  which  the 
author  justly  tells  his  readers  it  was  the  object  of  the  Author 
of  the  Apocalypse  to  illustrate  before  the  world. 

I  have  thus  noticed  some  of  the  most  important  particulars 
in  which  I  dissent  from  the  interpretations  of  the  Doctor  and 
others,  that  the  reader  may  be  guided  by  all  accessible  way- 
marks  in  searching  after  the  mind  of  God  in  this  mysterious 
but  highly  instructive  part  of  his  precious  word.  I  can  again 
cordially  recommend  to  his  attention  the  Lectures  of  Doctor 
M'Leod,  as  the  bestexposition  of  those  parts  of  the  Apocalypse 
of  which  he  treats,  that  has  come  under  my  notice.  In  the 
Notes  will  be  found  minor  points  of  dissent  from  the  Doctor's 
views,  and  from  multiplied  aberrations  of  many  others.  I 
hiive  studied  great  plainness  of  speech,  abstaining  from  the 
introduction  of  many  verbal  criticisms  on  the  original  text, 
and  from  the  use  of  terms  and  phrases  not  familiar  to  the  un- 
learned reader.  Let  no  sincere  Christian  be  deterred  by  seem- 
ing diflBculties  from  reading  the  Apocalypse,  or  be  dissuaded 
from  8ear(  hing  it,  by  the  discrepancies  of  interpreters;  f'T 
this  is  equally  true  of  "the  other  Scriptures."  (2  Pet.  iii.  16.) 

THE    TITLE    OF    THIS   BOOK. 
In  our  authorized  version  of  the  Bilde,  this  last  book  is  cor- 
rectly translated  "Revelation."     It  is  otherwise  designated 
*'The  Apocalypse,"  by  simply  Anglicising  the  Greek  title, — 
Apokalupsis. 


322  NOTES   ON  THE  APOCALYPSE. 

A  distinguished  modern  divine,  Doctor  Seiss,  h^^s  furnished 
the  public  with  a  novel  interpretation -of  the  title.  But  it  is 
remarkable  that  he  does  not  propose  an  interpretation  at  all ; 
he  merely  gives  what  he  conceives  to  be  a  correct  translation. 
It  is  this: — ''The  Book  of  the  Unvailing  oi  Jeaos  Christ!" 
In  this  singular  translation  two  things  are  transparent, — af- 
fectation ot  scholarship,  and  the  {proton  pseudos)  the  cardinal 
error  of  Millenarianism.  Learned  men,  however,  are  not  de- 
void of  fancy.  Of  this  fact  those  who  are  historically  desig- 
nated Millenarians  have  given  many  illustrations  from  the 
primitive  ages  down  to  our  own  time.  The  Doctor's  render- 
ing of  the  name  of  this  book  discloses  the  predominant  idea 
conceived  in  his  imagination  and  cherished  there,  that  Christ 
is  to  appear  upon  earth  in  glorified  humanity  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  millennium,  and  that  the  Apocalypse  is  intended 
chiefly  to  apprize  the  church  and  the  world  of  this  momentous 
event. 

"  The  unvailing  of  Jesus  Christ,"  indeed  !  Why,  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  was  revealed, — "unvailed"  to  the  faith  of  our 
first  parents  in  the  promise  of  the  "woman's  seed"  as  every 
intelligent  Christian  knows,  (Gen.  iii.  15.)  We  are  assured 
that  "to  him  give  all  the  prophets  witness,"  (Acts  x.  43.) 
Abraham  rejoiced  to  see  Christ's  day,  (John  viii.  56.)  His 
advent  in  the  flesh  was  so  well  known  that  Old  Testament  be- 
lieverR  spoke  of  him  familiarly  as  of  "Ilira  that  was  to  come," 
(Matt.  xi.  3.)  Surely  he  was  "unvailed"  to  his  disciples  all 
the  time  that  he  went  in  and  out  among  them  before  his 
death.  And  after  his  resurrection  he  appeared  unto  them  the 
third  time, — "was  seen  of  Cephas,  then  of  the  twelve:  after 
that  he  was  seen  of  above  five  hundred  brethren  at  once," 
(1  Cor.  XV.  5,  6.)  After  his  ascension  Stephen  "saw  Jesus 
standing  on  the  right  hand  of  God,"  (Acts  vii.  56  )  How  pre- 
posterous then,  since  the  whole  Bible  "unvails"  the  Saviour, 
to  insinuate  that  the  specific  object  of  the  Apocalypse  is  to  w/j- 
vail  Jesus  Christ! 

That  Doctor  Seiss  and  those  who  endorse  his  mistranslalion^ 
or,  as  it  ought  to  be  called,  his  false  exposition  of  the  title  to 
this  book,  do  totally  misapprehend  and  misinterpret  the  mind 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  further  evident  from  the  obvious  import 
of  the  plain  words  in  the  first  verse: — this  "  Revelation  of 
Jesus  Christ,  God  gave  unto  him," — Christ.  Did  God  the 
Father  "unvail"  Christ  to  Christ  himself?  Ilow  gross  the 
absurdity !  We  do  not  transgress  the  law  of  charity  in  pro- 
nouncing as  impious,  such  manifest  "wresting  of  the  Scrip- 
tures." 


APPENDIX  323 

Moreover,  the  declared  object  of  this  book  is  to  "show  unto 
God's  servants  things, — (nut  to  show  Chrit^t,)  which  must 
shortly  come  to  pass:"  mimely,  events  of  providence  which 
were  then  future, — the  evoUjtion  of  the  purposes  of  God.  It 
is  indeed  true  that  in  the  sublime  scenery  presented  in  vision 
to  John,  the  Lord  Jesus  often  appears  as  a  very  conspicuous 
object;  but  he  is  only  one  among  a  multiplicity  of  other  ob- 
jects, and  generally  as  the  principal  agent  in  executing  the 
divine  decrees.  In  this  attitude  he  appears  immediately  on 
the  opening  of  the  seals  of  that  book,  which  all  sober  exposi- 
tors consider  as  the  symbol  of  God's  purposes,  especially  of 
those  "unvailed"  in  this  prophetic  book.  When  in  the  sixth 
chapter,  the  "four  animals"  say  in  succession,  "Come  and 
see,"  is  Jesus  Christ  the  only  object  to  be  seen? — the  exclu- 
sive object  unvailed  ?  or  even  always  the  primary  object  ? 
By  no  means. 

Thus  it  is  evident  that  at  the  very  beginning  of  his  career 
as  an  expositor  of  this  sacred  book,  Doctor  Seiss  gives  loose 
reins  to  his  fancy;  and  then  it  is  not  diflBcult  to  foresee 
through  what  mazes  of  error  the  credulous  reader  will  be 
conducted,  who  in  his  simplicity,  follows  such  a  I'eckless 
guide.  The  hallucinations  of  Millenarians  of  old  and  of 
ate  have  greatly  discouraged  the  disciples  of  Christ,  and  se- 
riously hindered  them  in  obeying  his  command, — "Search 
the  Scriptures,"  especially  this  precious  book.  Their  un- 
seriptural  error,  which  some  might  call  an  antiscriptural  here- 
sy, of  the  pre-millennial  corporeal  appearance  of  our  Saviour, 
with  its  carnal  concomitants,  has  been  a  temptation  to  not  a 
few  to  look  upon  this  part  of  the  Bible  as  wholly  unintelligi- 
ble, contrary  to  its  veiy  name, — Revelation.  The  hereditary 
and  inveterate  misconception  by  Millenarians  of  the  nature  of 
the  thousand  years'  reign  of  the  saints,  bears  a  striking  analo- 
gy to  that  of  the  Jews  concerning  the  kingdom  of  their  Mes- 
siah, and  suggests  a  remark  by  that  prince  of  divines  among 
English  Dissenters,  Doctor  Owen,  in  his  "Exposition  of  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews."  He  says  truly, — "There  are  pre- 
cious, useful,  significant  truths  in  the  Scripture,  io  disposed 
of,  80  laid  up,  as  that  if  we  accomplish  not  a  diligent  search, 
we  shall  never  set  eye  on  them.  The  common  course  of  read- 
ing the  Scriptures,  nor  the  common  help  of  expositors,  who 
for  the  most  part,  go  in  the  same  track,  and  scarce  venture 
one  step  beyond  those  that  are  gone  before  them,  will  not 
suffice,  if  we  intend  a  discovery  of  these  hid  trensures."  And 
again  he  says,  "  How  hard  it  is  to  dispossess  the  minds  of  men 
of  inveterate  persuasions  in  religion!" 


DATE  DUE 

j^Qiiiii||frji'iinii 

P^ijwuiwia^ 

Mending 

i 

1 

i 

CAYLORD 

PniNTCOINU.S.A. 

BS2827 .S81 

Notes  on  the  Apocalypse  :  with  an 


Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  00071   8314 


